Hearts of Ice and Fire
by TurnUps
Summary: Prince Sora of the Destine Isles has been kidnapped by Maleficent. Held in a cell, he comes into contact with the Prince Maleficent has been training his whole life, Riku. As Sora unpicks Riku's attitudes, Riku finds himself reconsidering everything he has been taught. AU! Medium Burn!
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N): Something I've had a few chapters too for a while, that I haven't posted yet.**

 **I did some doodles for it too u**

 **Disclaimer : I do not own Kingdom Hearts**

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Chapter One:

Riku knew he was being creepy.

And he was trying to stop watching the boy sleep, but he couldn't tear himself away. He kept telling himself to get up and walk away - but he couldn't quite bring himself to stand up.

At first, he had thought about how cool it would be to have a witty line prepared for when the Prince woke up. Like in a book. It would make him seem cool, and mysterious.

Then he had gotten bored waiting, and genuinely went to get up. At the moment he had made the decision, Maleficent's black cat jumped into his lap and, by the laws of cat-ownership, he was trapped on the chair now.

Then he had started to notice how pretty the Prince was. How his eyelashes were long and thick and black. More like a girl's than a boy's. They were so long that they cast spidery shadows across his cheeks. His cheeks were so smooth - like porcelian. His hair had drooped across his face, looking like smeared paint in the half light of the candle - which was starting to reach the end of the wick. It was kind of sickening - how much he looked like a prince from a fairytale.

It was kind of sickening how jarring the cut on his head, still oozing thick, sticky blood, ruined the image. How it was clotting in his hair. It was too brutal too fit in with the fragility of his face.

 _It had to be done,_ Riku told himself. He had closed his eyes and taken a deep breath, trying to think of why he was doing what he was doing. What the prince had done. Why he was on Maleficent's side.

It was dark outside the small window of the cell now. Frost was creeping up like claws and he was shivering.

 _Finally,_ Maleficent's cat hopped off of Riku's lap and he could get up to re-light the candles, and leave.

He was just trying to blow the match out before it burned his fingers when he heard the voice.

"...What's going on...?"

 _Really? Now?!_

Riku's witty comment completely left his brain. He spun and stared, his eyes wide. The boy was crouched on the floor, looking like he could barely support his own weight. He was frowning in confusion, blinking his eyes quickly to try to come back to reality.

And Riku found himself wondering how anybody's eyes could be so blue. His own eyes were blue - but this was _electric_ blue. The kind of blue that _was_ only described by authors. The kind of blue eyes that he didn't believe ever really existed.

He realised that he'd been staring for too long.

"Uh, you're -" Riku stopped. He cleared his throat and drew himself to his full height. "You're in Maleficent's castle."

For a moment, the Prince still looked confused. He raised a hand to his head, his fingers running over the half-congealed blood that was there.

He just stared at Riku. His frown deepened, his finger's running over the length of the cut.

"You kidnapped me." He said slowly. It wasn't accusatory - it sounded almost like a question. But it was true.

"Yes?" Riku replied. He hadn't meant for it to sound like a question. He had meant to sound a lot more dark and mysterious than he was now.

He watched the Prince sit up, and lean against the wall heavily. He seemed to be thinking hard.

"That makes sense," he said slowly. "But it probably would be more effective to kidnap Kairi."

"But _you're_ the crown prince," Riku said. He knew of Kairi - he had been quizzed on the Royal Families for years. _It was important to know,_ Maleficent had said, _if you want to rule one day._ Kairi was the King's ward. Her history was shrouded in mystery - even, apparently, to herself.

"Kairi's a much better politician than me - she's better at philosophy too."

"I don't think there will be much talk of politics," Riku said. It was like talking to a child, not someone his own age. "We're trying to start a war."

The Prince frowned. A genuine look of bewilderment came across his face.

"Why?" he asked with such a naive curiousity that Riku was left speechless.

He tried to start multiple sentences with multiple points but found he was too stunned to continue.

And this boy was just sat there, staring at him. _How could he be so oblivious?!_

There was a sudden loud growl in the cell and the two boys stared at each other startled.

The Prince's belly grumbled again.

"I missed dinner," he said, with a sheepish grin.

"Well, you're not going to get any from me," Riku replied. Hatred had bubble up in his stomach and he turned away.

Maleficent's cat was scratching at the heavy stone door and he followed it out. He made sure to lock at it and called the closest of the gargoyles to guard it. Not that he really saw the Prince as a challenge.

The Prince. Riku turned the thought over in his mind. The crown Prince of the Destine Isle - a homely little place with low rise buildings and rosy complexions. Prince Sora. He had expected the boy to be ignorant - most people from the Destine Isle were - but he hadn't expected to talk to a child. _They were meant to be the same age..._

Riku had lost that sparkle in his eyes a long time ago. Maybe that was why his eyes were the colour of ice and not the sea. He caught a glimpse of his face in one of the gilded mirrors - Maleficent had always been narcissism - he was always narrowed eyes and drawn lips. He rarely showed expression, whereas the Prince's face was alight with it. A rounder face against Riku's prominent cheekbones.

Would he have been more like that - if Maleficent hadn't saved him? Innocent and whimsical - caring more about dinner than immanent war?

He almost shuddered. But he was coming towards the banquet hall, and shivering would be a sign of weakness. He couldn't show weakness in front of witches and warlocks and tricksters and everything inbetween when he was merely the boy Maleficent decided to take in.

He had to show them all why. Show them that he was their Prince. That he could succeed where they were all failing.

He entered the hall. The high ceiling made every clink of silver seem like a cave, and the silver embellishment on everything made the room look like it was covered in ice. The candles barely lit the room - casting grotesque shadows of it's occupants on the wall.

Riku had long since grown used to the darkness, but he still treasured what little light there was. How it left spots in his vision. How it was warm.

Because he was still human - and he still chased after warmth.

"You're late," the words dripped from Maleficent's tongue like treacle. Like she wanted to make him squirm.

He squashed that squirming as he strode into the room - the heels of his boots clicking satisfyingly on the floor.

"I was entertaining our guest," he said smoothly.

She was sat at the end of the table, and had saved the seat to her right, her skin almost glowing luminescent in the candlelight. There was something beautiful about that green-yellow colour.

"He's awake." Maleficent replied. It was not a question. She could probably see through that damned cat's eyes.

"He's hungry," Riku sat down.

Maleficent laughed at that. The other's laughed too - though partly only because she had.

"I hope you won't get too attached to your new, little pet," a silky voice said. Riku turned a half-lidded gaze deliberately to the owner - a pruny sorcerer called Jafar.

"Only as attached as you get to Agrabah's Princess," Riku replied. "Weren't you planning to kill her? How did that leap to marriage?"

For a moment, Jafar looked livid. Maleficent must have seen the outrage in his eyes, because she quickly spoke again.

"Rest assured that nothing will keep my Prince from my goal."

 _My goal._ The words echoed around Riku's head. It was not her goal. It was _his_.

The conversation moved on - to news from the villains around the table. Some from their own kingdoms, some on their plans to overtake their kingdoms. This was an alliance Maleficent had formed to drench the world with her ideals. An alliance she was ideally at the head of.

Riku mostly stayed silent. His palms still had silvery scars to remind him to only speak when spoken to. He swallowed his opinions. He was just an accessory for Maelficent. He was there to look pretty.

Maleficent was gathering armies. The kidnapping of the Prince was only the first step in conquering the Destine Isles. She had her own imps, of course, but now she was looking for _monsters._ She was looking to completely annihilate the enemy.

Jafar was, of course, all too happy to oblige. He was desperate to be in Maleficent's good standing. To rule beside her as her second in command. And to overthrow her. That was crystal clear to Riku in the way his dark eyes gleamed.

The honour of Maleficent's second in command was, to others, Pete - but she only favoured the bumbling fool because he could never overpower her. 'There are two kinds of people,' Maleficent said to him. 'Those who rule, and those who are meant to be ruled over.' Pete was in the later category, Riku was in the first. He had been preened for the role of Maleficent's second in command his whole life. _He_ was the one she trusted. They had the same mind.

Others had offers for her. Pete could give Maleficent monsters and in return she'd amuse him with dreams of greatness. The Queen of Hearts could offer hardy soldiers. But she wanted things in return. She was not desperate for power - she ruled her own country - but Maleficent could give her money - alliances and protection.

Not to mention, she had an heir to bargain with. A marriage with Riku was a life-long alliance. Riku knew Maleficent would use him well.

Some of them were forced to give troops. Madame Mim and Dr Facilier owed so much to Maleficent already they had no choice.

The war looked to be on Maleficent's side favourably. It made Riku smirk triumphantly.

When the meeting ended, Riku's fingers had gone completely numb. Maleficent gave him a smile as he retired that suggested she knew. She knew she was making him suffer.

'Pain makes you stronger,' she had always told him. 'No one can fight ice.'

Riku's room was at the top of one of the spindly towers. He suspected it had originally been built for prisoners - there were bars on the window and a hook for a chain on the wall, that he hung his cloak on.

It was a small, round room made of the same dark bricks that composed the whole castle. There were no curtains, and Riku's bed sheets were thin.

He didn't have much. A wardrobe. A hand mirror he suspected Maleficent could see through. A shelf of books she had picked. He had poured over them as a child - desperate for any knowledge. Now he had better ways. Maleficent had taught him a few tricks - how to get people to say what he wanted - how to look through a hand mirror at someone else - to make a flame - to blend into the darkness and become invisible. He revelled in these few tricks, even though he knew she had many more she was holding back from him. It gave him power. Control.

Hope. That one day he could be like her. Her equal.

He could be ferocious and powerful too. He had been lying on his bed, clicking his fingers lazily to ignite and extinguish a flame for about ten minutes when he heard it. Like a kitten mewling for it's mother's milk.

Prince Sora whining for his dinner.

His cell was under Riku's room. It was past midnight, though Riku never slept much through the night. It always made him feel more alive.

He rolled over. Tried to ignore it. Tried to trace constellations in the sky, but he knew none. He had never been taught.

The Prince continued to wail. He seemed to be singing. As loudly and off-key as he could.

For an hour, Riku bore it, before he stormed out of the room. He clattered down the stone steps, striding along the hallway. He hoped he looked impressive, with his cape billowing out behind him. He hoped he looked intimidating.

The Prince was pressed against the bars of his cell, his hands clutching a bar either side of his face. He must have been standing on tiptoes to reach. Usually, he was at least a head shorter than Riku

"Will you shut up?" Riku half-yelled. He felt almost ashamed that he had let so much emotion show.

"But I'm _hungry_!" the Prince pouted - actually pouted - like a child.

"So?" Riku replied. "Go without dinner."

There was a pause. The boy looked almost horrified. Riku's revelation seemed equally horrifying.

"Haven't you ever skipped a meal before?" he asked, fighting to keep his tone neutral.

"Well -" the boy paused. "I've been threatened with it - but someone always gave into me in the end. I have my ways."

So he knew how annoying that singing was. It was deliberate.

Riku wanted to laugh. This boy had always got what he wanted when he wanted. He lived a fantasy. Riku was glad he never had that - it had taught him to be sly - manipulative - to sacrifice in order to get something better.

"You'll get fed tomorrow," Riku said, he went to walk away when the boy called out again.

"Wait! What's your name?"

Riku turned back reluctantly. He fixed the Prince with his most piercing gaze, though it had little effect.

"Riku," he replied coldly. "Prince Riku."

"I'm Sora," the Prince smiled. Riku had never thought 'beaming' as a good word to describe a smile until then.

"I know," he replied.

"Oh. Yeah," for an instant, the boy's face fell.

With a roll of his eyes, Riku went to turn away again.

"Um!" Sora called after him loudly. He stopped, but did not turn. "Do you have - a light?"

"What?" Riku asked. He could feel the snide dripping from his tongue.

"Well - I'm -" his voice wavered ever so slightly. "-Scared. Of the dark."

Riku almost did chuckle then. The thought was absurd - like being scared of breathing.

He walked away from the cell slowly.

But then a memory - a memory he hadn't thought of for years - something he was sure he'd quite forgotten - sprouted in his mind. Of being five years old and hearing a sound in the night. Of being scared of leaving his room. Of calling for someone - anyone - to come to him. Of terror clutching at his heart, freezing him like eyes.

His cries faded into silence. The darkness was suddenly loud and penetrating and claustrophobic. He remembered falling asleep petrified on the stone floor.

He remembered that desperation.

So he crept downstairs instead of back upstairs. To the empty kitchens. There was the crusty end of the bread on the side - the imps were probably going to eat it. Riku slipped it into his pocket, along with a curling sliver of cheese.

Finally, he moved slowly back up the stairs. Sora's cell had gone quiet. The guard had nodded of because of it - the first moment of piece all night. That was good. It meant that Riku was able to creep right up to the bars, and push the crust of bread through.

He drew the shadows around him and hurried back down the hall.

He hadn't done the right thing. Maleficent wouldn't have done that.

But the Prince was silent. He consoled himself in that. He too, needed rest.

And comforting him seemed like a good thing. Or at least neutral. To be that hand in the darkness. He shouldn't have been. But he was.

Because he remembered the feeling all too well.

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 **(A/N): To be continued... u**


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N): Thank you so much for all of your support so far!** **(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ I'm very grateful!**

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Chapter Two:

"What does a puppy do the night after it is separated from it's mother, Riku?" Maleficent asked. She wasn't looking at him.

"It...cries." Riku replied slowly, sensing what this was about. His spoon hovered over his porridge.

"And how do you stop it from crying?" she pressed.

Riku was silent a moment too long.

"You _ignore_ it," Maleficent continued. Her amber eyes flicked to him for a moment, and he fought not to let the shiver that ran through him outwardly show. "You do not _feed_ it."

Riku's stomach turned cold. _So she knew. Of course she knew._

"I-" he stopped himself. 'Never say sorry,' she had always said. 'Don't ever show remorse. It's a weakness.' "Could hardly hear myself think over the cater wailing."

Maleficent was not impressed. Her thin lips were pressed together into a straight line.

"Perhaps you should catch up on some sleep," she said carefully. Her mouth curved upwards ever so slightly, and Riku knew that he hadn't hidden the spark of panic in him at the thought. Maleficent was headed to Wonderland today, to negotiate terms of the deal - and he was desperate to go. He had to prove that he was useful. That he could be as cunning as her and come out of the deal with no losses.

 _And now that stupid Prince had ruined it._

"That won't be necessary," he replied calmly, but his heart was pounding in his chest.

"Nevertheless," Maleficent continued. "I would prefer it if you stayed here, and practised your swordplay. I would hate if your skills weren't battle ready."

'Prefer,' Riku knew, meant, 'you will.'

He was being punished. He wouldn't be going to Wonderland.

"Yes," Riku swallowed the hatred rising in his throat. "My Queen."

He inclined his head and she smiled like a trained dog had just mastered a trick.

She stood. RIku stayed where he was.

"I will be back soon," she told him. He continued to glare at his breakfast, listening to the sound of her walking away.

"And Riku," her footsteps stopped. Riku looked at her but she was not facing him.

"Yes, my queen?" he asked.

"Remember that _you_ are not a puppy," Maleficent's voice held no warmth, but she turned ever so slightly to look at him. "You are a cat. You do not need anyone. Scratch anybody who gets too close to you."

She wasn't expecting a response. She left the room, her crow fluttering down from the chandelier to join her.

Riku was left alone with only a bowl of lukewarm porridge for company.

 _Practice his sword play - his swordplay was perfect - she knew that. It had had to be perfect his whole life. She had made him practice over and over again until there wasn't a toe out of place._

'If you want to fight Prince Sora, then you have to be the best you can be. Don't give anything away. Be as flawless as ice.'

 _The Prince. The damn Prince was the reason behind all of this._

Riku headed back to his room like a beaten dog. The long way around, so that he didn't have to walk past Sora's cell.

And yet, as soon as he had shut the door to his room, his eyes landed on his hand mirror.

 _The Prince._

Riku took the mirror, murmured word over it and the image changed from his reflection to a foggy image of the Prince's cell.

He was asleep. Curled up into a ball by the door, where it was warmest. His nose and cheeks were flushed red. He had been crying. He had been for a long time.

But now he was peaceful. Transported to another time. Escaped momentarily.

The thought made Riku even angrier.

He crossed his room in two strides and stormed down the stairs. The imp was lying, half in a daze, against the door of the cell.

"Bring me two swords," Riku commanded as he approached, pulling the key off it's hook at the side the door.

For a moment, the guard blinked at him, then it a cruel, sharp-toothed smile came across his face and he obeyed.

Riku flung the door of the cell open. Sora stumbled away from the door, staring at him wide-eyed. The door slammed behind Riku.

"Where-" his had, like yesterday flew to his head and understanding dawned on the Prince's face. "Riku."

"Get up," Riku ordered. Anger roared in him like a flame. If it wasn't for him - if he hadn't of broken - he would be at the forefront of the war plans, not left behind like an incompetent child.

Sora did so, scrambling to his feet. He took a step towards Riku.

"I wanted to say thanks," he said. "For - the food."

"Be quiet!" Riku snapped.

He stared at the kidnapped Prince, livid. He couldn't bring any words to his mouth.

 _What was he doing?!_

Sora was confused too. He seemed like he was going to ask, but was too nervous.

"Why are you.." for the first time, he spoke meekly. "...Here, then?"

As if on cue, the imp came clattering back down the hallway. Riku took the swords from him without a word, slamming the door again before the imp had finished grovelling a 'your highness.'

Riku flung a sword in the Prince's direction. It clattered against the floor. Sora's gaze flickered from it back to Riku.

"Fight me," Riku said, holding up his sword. The point glittered at the Prince's heart.

How easy it would be, to kill him now.

The Prince picked up the sword. He was giving Riku a strange look. Not fearful. Wary. Almost curious.

 _Was that pity?!_

Fury flashed within Riku had he thrust his sword forward.

Sora caught it with his own at the last second. Riku noticed his grip was too weak on his sword - he would drop it easily - and lashed out again, quickly and full of power.

Sora caught the stroke again, and once more he did not parry.

Riku was frustrated. He delivered blow after blow, stepping forward so that Sora was forced to move backwards.

It was hardly a minute before Riku flicked his wrist and Sora's sword flew from his hand.

The Prince raised his hands in surrender. Riku pointed the sword at the other boy's heart, but he didn't seem scared.

There was something in his face that infuriated Riku.

Understanding.

Condescending understanding.

"Pick it up again," Riku snarled.

Sora did so, but his eyes didn't leave Riku's face.

Riku disarmed Sora in thirty seconds. It felt like he had been fighting a training dummy.

"Again." The word cut through the air.

Sora obeyed.

Riku disarmed him in ten seconds.

The Prince was calm. He seemed so different to the scared little boy last night. So much more relaxed. Like he was in control.

All Riku saw was a taunt. An 'I know something you don't know.'

"Are you letting me win?" Riku demanded.

"Yes," Sora replied. His honesty made Riku despise him even more. He didn't have the words.

He dropped his sword and he stepped forward.

He punched Sora. A right hook across his face.

The Prince's head snapped around like a doll's, and he wavered where he was stood, but he did not fall.

"I thought you wanted to win," he murmured. When he turned back to Riku, there was a line of red at the corner of his mouth. It was startlingly bright compared to everything else in the castle.

"Don't patronise me!" Riku wanted to yell, but his voice broke embarrassingly.

Sora wiped the blood away from his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You're clearly upset about something," the Prince said. Strangely kindly considering he'd just been punched. "Well, whenever I wanted to vent frustration, the knights would always let me win. It cheered me up.

There was a pause. Riku just frowned at the boy.

"If you want to punch me again - if it'll make you feel better - you can." Sora shrugged.

Riku wanted to punch him again.

No. He didn't. He wanted to punch himself. It was his own fault. For being weak.

And yet, there was Sora, taking all the brunt of his anger.

 _Why?_

"It's because of me you're angry, isn't it?"

Sora asked. So innocently but so knowingly.

Riku suddenly didn't want to say 'yes'. For some reason, he didn't want to make him feel guilty.

"You - your guard's let you _win_?" Riku asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Sora replied. His cheek had turned bright red. He actually chuckled. "Actually, I only found out a year ago that they always let me win. After that - I begged them to take me seriously. I've gotten a lot better since then."

"That's awful," Riku muttered. They were stunting this boy's growth. Smothering him so that he couldn't stand on his own.

"Well," Sora shrugged. "They were just doing what they thought was best."

"But that's not what's best," Riku said. He thought back to all the times he had been left sprawling in the mud. All the times he had cried in pain just to be told to get up. Of having to remember to surrender, or just being beaten.

Sora shrugged. The wistful smile on his face made Riku's stomach judder.

 _How could he be so complacent with that?! Surely he must be angry-_

 _Did this boy_ get _angry?!_

"Fight me," Riku said again. " _Actually_ fight me."

"Sure," Sora shrugged again, stepping forward to retrieve his sword. He stood slowly. "But if I win, will you tell me what's bothering you?"

Riku went to say that he had a key. But then he realised that would be helping him, so stayed quiet.

It wasn't like Sora could win anyway.

Riku fetched his sword. He felt almost guilty when he looked at Sora's swelling cheek. It really hadn't been his fault.

Sora changed as they faced each other. His stance became more balanced, a look of concentration on his face.

Their swords clashed against each other, like they were testing one another out. A parry, a step back; an evaluation of each other. They would have circled each other, but the cell wasn't wide enough for that. Their gazes darted from eyes to swords to eyes to swords.

Their swords met again, exchanging blows like they were talking to each other. Riku pressed Sora backwards, but just as he reached the edge of the cell, Sora's stance switched. It seemed almost like he was pushing off from the wall. Like there was suddenly a secret power.

That made Riku hesitate, and in that moment, he lost his grip. His sword flew from his hand, and went skittering across the floor.

He stared at Sora, the point of the Prince's sword pointed playfully at his chest, ashamed and outraged. _How could he -_ he _whose guards didn't even fight seriously? This was a boy who was still afraid of the dark!_

"That wasn't-" Riku stopped himself. _'There's no such thing as fair,_ ' Maleficent's voice taunted him. _'There's only opportunities and those who take them.'_

He scowled at Sora instead.

"You _promised_ ," Sora said, with a pout.

He hadn't. He had _agreed_.

But he had been serious.

"You," he said, his lip curling. "You're what's bothering me."

Even though he had been the one who had suggested the idea earlier, a flicker of hurt flashed across the Prince's face.

Riku knew he had been unkind. His first instinct was to continue being unkind.

But he stopped himself. He wasn't sure what it was - the innocence in Sora's eyes, the honour of upholding their agreement or if he was getting soft. Maybe he wanted to get a petty revenge against Maleficent for punishing him in the only way he could.

"I mean - it's _because_ of you," he said, leaning his back against the wall of his cell. "Because - of the bread."

Sora blinked. His lip twitched - an ' _I was right'._

"Maleficent found out about it, and I wasn't allowed to go to the-" he hesitated. There was something about saying 'war' - like swearing in front of a child. "-Diplomatic meeting."

"War meeting," Sora said. He spoke like a student correcting a teacher when they know they're right.

"...Yes," Riku agreed.

"Well, I don't know what you're so angry about," Sora said, after a moment. "Those meetings are always long and boring and no one would listen to a word you'd say."

"How would _you_ know?" Riku asked, not fighting to keep the sneer from his voice.

"I'm a Prince, remember?" Sora replied, with the ghost of a smile on his face.

Riku frowned and turned away. He started to walk out of the room.

"Hey, wait," Sora said. Riku heard him step forward. "Stay a bit longer? It gets lonely here."

"I'm not even supposed to speak to you." Riku said, his voice low. It was like he had suddenly remembered his position. Suddenly remembered that he and Sora were never meant to be friends.

Even if his mind had begun toying with the idea. There was something curious about the Prince. There was a spark of something. A warmth that Riku had never found in any other person. (Not, he supposed, that he had been brought up around the most accommodating people.)

 _Maybe in different circumstances...in a different life..._

He shook his head to clear the impossible thoughts as he closed the cell door. Sora didn't cry after him.

 _Was the silence always this loud?_

Riku headed back to his room, but there was nothing to do.

A servant came up with lunch and he dragged eating it out for as long as he could. Nothing seemed to interest him. And every five minutes his thoughts would keep returning to...

He fought the ideas away, but it was a losing battle.

It seemed like years, but there was sudden noises coming from downstairs. _Maleficent was back._

He sat bolt upright in a moment, crossing the room, desperate to know what had happened. To be part of the action-

His door was locked.

Riku tried to open it a half-dozen times, but he already knew it was fruitless. Maleficent didn't want to see him. She must have cast the spell as soon as she had arrived.

He slumped and suppressed a groan. He had brought this onto himself. He had thawed. If only he had been more like Maleficent. If only he hadn't been so weak.

If only the Prince hadn't made him so weak.

Because that was what it was, he told himself, the back of his head pressed against the door. It was Prince Sora. Something in the way his eyes pleaded with Riku. Something in his voice that Riku wasn't sure made him want to listen longer or to strangle the boy.

Prince Sora had put this strange weakness into Riku. The desire to prove he was everything Maleficent had taught him to be.

It had only made him realise how he wasn't.

Riku wasn't sure how long it was before he heard the steps coming down the corridor. He scrambled to his feet, and stood attentive, as though he were a statue that only came alive in her presence. She only cared about what he was like in her presence.

His door swung open without being touched on either side and Maleficent appeared to swoop into his room, her cloaks fluttering around her like an extension of herself.

She regarded him with hard, yellow eyes, glittering like gemstones.

"My queen," Riku said tightly, holding her gaze even though it made his insides squirm like worms.

"How was your day?" Maleficent asked, in the tone of someone who already knew the answer.

She did. Riku had a standardized one.

"It was productive," he said.

"How is our puppy?" Maleficent continued. It wasn't part of the script.

She knew he knew it wasn't part of the script. It was, as it usually was, a test.

"I wouldn't know," Riku replied, his heart skipping a beat. "I haven't visited."

"You haven't even heard a whine?" Maleficent pressed, looking down her nose at him.

 _Which was the more believable answer? Yes or no? Which did she want?_

"No," Riku took a chance. Then, her advice came to him, _always back up a lie with the truth._ "I've been - in the grounds, practising swordplay. Like you asked."

He had hesitated. And she had noticed. Her eyes flashed. She closed the gap between them, and took hold of Riku's chin, forcing him to look at her wrath.

"Don't. Lie. To. Me," she hissed. Something flashed in her eyes - an emotion Riku had never seen her wear. _Fear._ "What did he tell you?"

"Nothing," Riku muttered. He stood like a limp fish, paralysed by his fear of the woman - even more so at this revelation - _she could feel fear._ "Nothing - we sparred - I just sparred against him - that's all. I had to know that I was better."

As suddenly as she had gripped him, Maleficent released him. She stepped back, her robes billowing like a dark cloud as she studied him. He fought to keep his face neutral, but knew that he couldn't fight the fear and confusion from taking over his expression.

"Riku," something like a smile came over Maleficent's expression. It was warped on her features, like a face in a tree trunk. "My dear Riku, you know I care for you, don't you?"

"Of course," Riku replied. Her sudden mood change brought no comfort. If anything, he felt more on edge. _She was building up to something._

"I rescued you, you know," Maleficent continued. "I rescued you from that island, with it's twisted, destructive rulers, pretending that they're equal to everyone else."

"I know," Riku said. "I'm grateful for it."

"You are very _precious_ to me," Maleficent said. Her fingers stroked his cheek, though he only felt her nails; like a cat's scratch.

"Yes," Riku nodded. He was still unsettled by this sudden affection.

"So," Maleficent dragged out the word, bringing her face closer to Riku's. He felt her fingers clutch his hair to stop him from pulling away at the fire in her expression."I deserve to be obeyed."

It wasn't quite a question, but Riku knew she expected a reply.

"Always," he was glad his voice didn't crack.

"So," Maleficent's smile twisted cruelly, and she gripped his hair so hard it hurt. "Don't. Visit. The. Prince. Again."

Riku paused. It should have been easy to agree.

He opened his mouth to say 'of course,' but Maleficent had already seen him hesitate.

She stepped back, drew herself up to her full height.

"If you visit him, you will stay here, without food, and you will not leave." She said.

"I won't," Riku couldn't keep the panic from his voice.

"Promise," Maleficent said. This time it definitely wasn't a question.

"I promise," Riku was almost whining.

Maleficent smiled; the warmest smile she gave (which was still only lukewarm), and caressed his hair. _She did care. She did love him._

 _She was the only one who did._

Before she was striding out of the room.

"You may come to dinner."

* * *

 **(A/N): If you need tiding over whilst I prepare the next update (I always try to have a chapter written in advance in case I can't write for a bit), you can certainly check out my SoRiku oneshot - it's called 'Deep Breaths'.**

 **Thank you very much. I would greatly appreciate a comment with your thoughts.**

 **See you soon! ^-^ xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N): I hope you enjoy chapter three! Thank you for all your support thus far and in the future!**

 **I did some art for this chapter that you can find on my tumblr : turnupsandmanga (it should be under the tag turnupsdraws)**

* * *

Chapter Three:

Riku obeyed his promise. He took the long route through the castle to his room. He went to dinner, and became once more the epitome of what Maleficent wanted him to be. He was the perfect, groomed heir to the throne once again. He was ice.

But he couldn't push thoughts of Sora from his mind.

For two nights, he brought his mirror close to him. Lay under his duvet with his face inches away from the glass so that Maleficent may not notice; if she or one of her spies happened to look in.

It was boring. And creepy. He knew that.

But it was safer than talking to him again.

He just couldn't stop thinking about those two, incredibly blue eyes. The small, knowing smile. He found himself thinking of a hundred different conversations, but he could never tell how Sora would react. What he would do. It was more infuriating than being with him.

So he thought - just a look - just a check - but it only made things worse.

A week went by. Troops were being organised; readied to move against Destine Isle.

Riku was unable to sleep, not so much from the excitement of heading to Neverland with Maleficent tomorrow, but because thoughts of the Prince were nagging him.

With an internal groan at the inability to control his feelings, Riku grasped the mirror.

And then almost dropped it.

 _There was a hole in the cell!_

He forced himself to breathe. _He could handle this. Just tell the guard -_

 _The guard would want to know why he knew. Maleficent would want to know why he knew._

 _How could he tell_ _her that_ _he'd been spying on the Prince more than ever?_

 _He couldn't tell the guard._

He grabbed his cloak and opened his door gingerly. As with all doors in the palace, it creaked loudly.

Riku snuck down the corridor as quietly as he could, willing himself into the shadows. He still felt like everyone would hear him.

There was an imp standing guard outside of Sora's cell, but on closer inspection, Riku found that he was snoring soundly.

Or, perhaps, pretending to.

Riku slipped the key off of it's hook on the wall, unlocked the cell, and slipped inside.

The Prince was crouched at the other end of the cell, furiously rubbing something against the wall.

Riku swooped towards the boy, and placed a hand on the Prince's shoulder.

Sora let out a squawk, and Riku pressed his hand firmly against the shorter boy's mouth.

"The guard will hear!" Riku hissed into the Prince's ear. Once Sora stopped struggling, he pushed the Prince away, glancing towards the door as though he could see through it.

"Aren't _you_ the guard?" Sora whispered.

Riku didn't answer. Instead he turned to the tunnel in the wall - which he now found was more of a domed dip, hardly half the width of the wall.

"Are you trying to escape?" he demanded.

Sora blinked at Riku.

"You - do know I'm being held captive?" he said. "I'm - meant to be trying to escape?"

"Not on my watch," Riku muttered.

"But you haven't been here," Sora said. He tilted his head to the side like a puppy, but his eyes were narrowed suspiciously. "Where have you been?"

"I've been busy," Riku snapped. "I can't just sit around babysitting you all day."

Sora's suspicious eyes turned into a suspicious pout.

"At more war meetings?" he asked.

"Yes," Riku leapt onto the excuse.

The pout deepened.

"That's why I have to leave. I have to warn my father." Sora said, pushing past Riku to the dip.

"I can't let you do that," Riku said, pulling Sora back by the elbow. He was unpleasantly light.

"We're a pacifist country!" Sora said, his eyes wide and imploring. "We won't even be able to defend ourselves!"

Riku shrugged.

"I guess it won't be much of a war then," he said. Then pointed to the dip. "How did you do that?"

"I'm not going to tell you," Sora said, the most defiant Riku had ever seen him. In fact, he looked almost angry.

"Fine," Riku growled. He pushed Sora away and glanced around the cell. It was so small that he easily spotted the sword lying on the ground. _He had forgotten to take them with him!_

He held it up to Sora, trying with all his might to capture the fierce look Maleficent wore. The Prince just glared back at him, that same angry pout on his face.

"How did you managed to make such a big hole with just a sword?" Riku asked. He kept his voice low. Gentle. Dangerous.

Sora shrugged like a sulking child.

"It's like carving initials into a desk," he muttered. "The stone is so old that it turned to dust. What are _you_ going to do about it?"

 _What was he going to do about it? How could he tell Maleficent to check Sora's cell without letting on that he had been spying on the Prince._

"There will be," Riku paused. He hoped it came off as dramatic. "A suitable punishment."

"I don't think you're going to tell anyone," Sora said, boldly.

 _How could someone so childish see through him?_

Riku just gave Sora a hard stare, before he strode back across the room.

A hand grabbed his elbow, surprisingly tight considering he could feel all the bones beneath the Prince's skin, even through his cloak.

"Why are you doing this to my country?" the Prince asked.

"Don't act like you don't know," Riku went to leave the cell, but Sora tugged him back. He met the Prince's bright blue eyes.

"We have been nothing but peaceful for fifty years - we promote equal rights and opportunity - our economy doesn't take advantage of others-" Sora listed off, but was interrupted by a thud outside.

"I have to go," Riku muttered, and yanked his arm away from the Prince's as hard as he could.

Sora stumbled after him and Riku heard him slam against the door as he locked it behind him. He paused in the corridor, drawing the shadows around him. The guard had woken up with a start, clanging against the pot he had been sitting on.

He didn't move as Riku passed. His eyes still closed. Maybe he hadn't noticed anything.

Riku stared out over the barren plains of his country. A land of grey and muted yellow. Everything was dying or barren. 'It wasn't always like this,' Maleficent's voice echoed in his mind. 'Once it was beautiful. You know who's fault that is.'

Maleficent was across from him in the carriage, her chin resting on the back of her hand as she stared at the window calculatingly. It was the first time they were going to negotiate with the pirates of Neverland; they needed ships. Maleficent didn't seem nervous at all.

"The guard's tell me our puppy has begun whining again," she said, her eyes flicking towards him.

"I wouldn't know," Riku said, forcing himself to remain stoic. _As you always are_. "I haven't heard anything."

She smiled at him, her eyes glittering.

"What do you know about the Destine Isles, Riku?" Maleficent asked.

 _It was a test. It was always a test._

"They promote democracy but the monarchy secretly rule everything," Riku said. "The people's choice is an illusion."

"And?" Maleficent raised an eyebrow.

"And some people are born to rule," Riku said the words obediently. Numbly. A dog waiting to be praised.

Maleficent treated him to a smile. Approval.

"And what did they do to your country?" she pressed.

 _My country. Our country._

 _I belong here._

"They spread a plague," Riku said. "They wiped most of the vegetation and life from our country."

"So?" Maleficent prompted again.

"So we'll invade them," Riku said.

Maleficent's smile widened. A Cheshire cat.

"And if you're a good boy," she said, leaning forward. "You'll take Prince Sora's place."

 _I'll be Prince. I'll be King. I'll rule._

 _And no one will be able to tell me the right or wrong way to do it._

 _He could be even better than Maleficent. He knew it._

"I've been preparing for that my whole life," he replied. Even he was impressed as how smooth his voice sounded.

"You're doing so well, Riku," Maleficent cooed. She stroked his fringe away from his eyes. "I'm so proud of you."

 _She does care_ , Riku thought. _She does care about me. She wants to see me safe._

 _She saved me for a reason. And I will prove that I am worthy._

Blue eyes flashed in his vision. Hurt.

It should bother him. It hadn't before.

 _Still,_ he thought, as the carriage trundled on. _Something had to be done about the hole._

 _The hole in the cell, and the hole in his ice._

Riku went to the library as soon as they returned from Neverland, triple checking that no one had followed him. He had learnt to pick normal locks through trial and error when he was younger - a lot of idle time and curiousity. He had no friends his age here, and the imps had only been interested in teasing him. So the library was the best place to go if he wanted to be productive. Maleficent had always told him to be productive.

He had discovered a small number of books which didn't have magical locks on them.

One of these was a harmless spell book.

He poured over it, not daring to bring it back to his own room, and found the solution to his problem.

A spell for filling in holes.

He bided his time at dinner, playing into Maleficent's language games. The negotiations had gone swimmingly, even if the Captain was as vain as Maleficent. They had a ship - transport to the islands. The Captain - Hook - had fallen for Maleficent's ploy - he was getting her more ships. The pieces of the jigsaw were beginning to fall into place. It would be easy.

 _It's always easier when your opponent doesn't fight back._

But for once, Riku felt he had the upper hand. Maleficent was pleased with his progress - at how he had handled himself - an ice cold Prince with biting remarks. She was confident her orders had been obeyed.

 _And they would be_ , Riku assured himself. _Just after tonight. Then I won't see him again._ _I just have to fix my mistake._

That evening, he slipped valerian root into the guards water. Maleficent had always thought it was harmless to let him have access to books on herbs. Little did she know, he could turn any knowledge to his advantage. Knowledge was power. And Riku was desperate for any scrap of it.

He watched from his mirror until the guard was asleep, then left his room and entered the cell.

The Prince looked as though he was curled into the dip, but as he watched, Riku saw the Sora was furiously rubbing his hands against the wall. Sand trickled down the wall, making the dip bigger and bigger.

"Stop that!" Riku cried, pulling Sora away from the hole by his shoulder.

"No way!" Sora cried, his fists flailing as he fought against Riku's grip. "I have to leave!"

Riku caught Sora's fists easily, keeping him in place. The pads of the Prince's fingers were rubbed raw - bright pink against the ivory of his skin.

"You really expect me to do what you tell me?!" Sora cried, as he struggled against the taller boy, flicking his hair away from his eyes. " _You're_ the one keeping me captive!"

" _Shut up!"_ Riku hissed, pressing Sora against the wall.

"You're _horrible_!" Sora yelled from under him. "You're picking on a pacifist country!"

Riku pressed his hand over Sora's mouth and leant in close.

"I'll explain everything about _your_ country," he spat. "But right now you have to keep quiet or-"

Sora licked his hand and Riku pulled away, repulsed.

"Or what?" Sora asked, his eyes holding a mischievous glint in them. Not yelling, but not quiet either.

"Or you'll get whipped!" it was the first lie Riku would think of.

"I don't care!" Sora said. For a moment, they stood, fuming at each other. A dog and a cat facing off.

"What's gotten into you?" Riku asked. "A week ago you were - complacent! You didn't do anything!"

"I didn't-" Sora's face was drawn. His voice became serious suddenly. "I didn't think past myself - but now I have to - I need to be there for my country - I have to be a Prince."

" _You_ could _never_ be a Prince."

Riku forced his voice to be low. Dangerous. Cutting. 'Words are just as harmful as a sword.'

Sora's eyes didn't spring with tears, as Riku had expected them to. Instead, they darkened. Those eyes looked like an oncoming storm.

" _You're_ e _vil_."

The words seemed to pierce Riku. For a moment, he felt as though he had been stabbed.

He couldn't even stammer a response.

"You're so spiteful. I've done nothing to you," Sora hissed. "My country has done nothing to you."

"Your country is responsible for the plague that left _our_ country with only a _handful_ of survivors. You _refused_ to help, and barred your doors to even your own citizens who _needed_ you. And - and you never send allies to anyone in a state of war - you just hide away in the south and pretend that every thing's okay, even when the world is falling around you!" Riku replied, pressing venom into his voice, and feeling a spiteful joy when Sora's eyes widened. He looked like a vulnerable child.

"Who, for the love of all that is good, told you that?" he asked, more breath than voice. He was looking at Riku like he was a madman.

"My Queen. Maleficent," Riku replied.

"But she's," Sora was about to say 'evil', and they both knew it. " _Maleficent_ was the one who spread the plague through our country. When we tried to reach her for negotiations, her citizens caught it too. She blamed _us_ \- and the curse redoubled in our country. We had to quarantine the sick in the city, but we took everyone who was well and kept them in the castle. You have to understand that there were _so_ many people suffering - it was my father's _only choice_. We _can't_ send allies to countries in need because we don't _have_ an army - but we send _supplies_ \- rations - and weapons when we can. You _have_ to understand - she's a _liar_ \- she's lied to you."

"Don't be _ridiculous_ ," Riku snapped. "You're the liar - you, and your king!"

Sora took a step backwards at the sound of Riku yelling. He shook his head in disbelief.

"You've got it _wrong_ ," he said. "Listen to me-"

" _No_ ," Riku knew he sounded like a small brat, but he had also heard a clang outside the cell.

"Riku, you're from my country - I can tell-"

"Stop it!" Riku snapped, pressing himself against the cell door.

Sora was fiddling with something under his collar, his fingers yanking at a delicate silver chain.

"I have proof," Sora said.

Riku had to get out.

"I'm not listening to any more lies," he yelled.

Sora pressed the pendant into his hand, desperately.

"Trust me, Maleficent is evil." The Prince said, his eyes wide.

Earnest.

Riku fled, barely looking back until he reached his room. He collapsed against hia door. His head felt light and his throat felt tight. He could hardly breathe.

Sora's words had hurt him. But he should have been able to brush them off. Like a punch. He had been called much worse. But they had never kept stinging him like this.

They had never made him feel shame rise in his stomach in hot, sickening waves. They still throbbed in his ears, returning any time he thought he was forgetting them.

 _Maleficent is evil._

 _You're evil._

And his accusations... that Maleficent spread her own plague.

" _When we tried to reach her for negotiations, her cit_ _i_ _zens caught it too. She blamed us - and the curse redoubled in our country…_ _it was our_ only choice _."_

That they sent supplies to other countries…" _We can't send allies to countries in need because we don't_ have _an army_ _."_

Why did they keep niggling at him, even when he knew that they weren't true? His mind kept asking 'but what if that was true?' 'What if I'm wrong?'

He wasn't, of course.

 _You're from my country._

That was worse of all. Ridiculous. Absurd.

The Prince was lying. He had to be. The alternative would be…

Inconceivable.


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N): Wow, already at chapter four...and only at chapter four...? It feels strange because I've been writing chapters ahead I'm like - 'oh, you guys are only at this bit?'**

 **Thank you for all of your support, and I'd love it if you'd keep supporting me in the future! =u=**

* * *

Chapter Four:

Riku hardly slept.

As soon as it was light enough to read, he slunk down to the library, a cloak pulled against him to try and keep away the chill that crept towards him like a dozen spiders.

It was empty. It was always empty. It was like the imps were allergic to knowledge.

Riku pulled out every history book that he could find, and scanned through them for any trace of a lie. Any truth in Sora's words.

He didn't find anything. Everything was as he had been told. Almost down to the word. There were no contradictions. _So why-_

Riku pulled Sora's necklace out of his pocket - his only other clue - the only physical clue he had. The chain was as thin as spider's silk. There was a pendant with a silver key. Riku had expected gemstones - diamonds - but it was modest. There were no intricate carvings. Just a key. _What the hell was he meant to do with it_ _? What door could he possibly open?_

"A bit of light reading, your highness?" a silky voice asked from behind him, spitting out the words like they left a vile taste in his mouth.

"There's nothing wrong with revision, Jafar," Riku replied just as coolly, shoving the necklace into his pocket and standing up from the table. Books now covered every inch of the wood in his haste for answers. "The pen is mightier than the sword."

Jafar was standing by the door, watching him like he was a wild animal. He had long since learnt how to return the look. They kept each other's eye contact as Riku stood. A game of dominance.

A game Riku didn't have time for.

He started forwards, and Jafar slammed the door shut.

Riku paused, evaluating Jafar. There was the familiar nasty glint and sneer of a smile. It was so hard to tell when these people were scheming something in particular, or if they were just scheming in general.

"The counsel broke their meeting up last night. What are you still doing here?" Riku asked. He fought not to show the nerves on his face. To make it look like he wasn't doing anything wrong.

"It seems a promotion is in the air. Maleficent wants someone with a shred of intelligence by her side," Jafar said. His hand still held the door shut.

"We both know who that's going to be," Riku replied, starting forward. This was all a game to psych him out. Through him off of his game.

Jafar's smile increased.

A bird cried from behind Riku, and alighted on Jafar's shoulder.

It was only when he saw the glimmering chain in the bird's beak that his heart lurched. He had already stepped forward before he had covered his expression with indifference.

Jafar looked at him, then at the chain hanging from the infernal parrot's beak slowly. Teasingly, he took the necklace in his long fingers, examining it with the eyes of a greedy merchant.

Riku crossed his arms, and pretended that the whole affair bored him.

"Well, it looks like someone's paid a visit to his pet," Jafar said.

"Visit to his pet," the parrot repeated mockingly. Riku could have throttled it.

"Ah, Iago, I could have sworn Maleficent told us to make sure the Prince doesn't go to the cells."

"I didn't. That's mine," Riku lied, his tone unfeeling and impassive. He held his hand out, the way Maleficent did when she wanted something. It usually worked for him too.

"Oh, I don't think so," Jafar continued to examine the necklace. Painfully slowly. "Her highness took a very similar chain from you when you arrived here. Why, the only other people who have this would be the crown Prince of the Destine Isles and the King's Ward."

Riku's heart skipped a beat. His hand wavered in the air.

 _Why would he...?_

Jafar's eyes glittered at him, still able to read him like a book after all these years.

"You didn't know?" Jafar asked. He stroked the preening parrot. Riku felt it was smirking at him as well. "Of course, Maleficent wouldn't want you to know. Who you really are, what this unlocks...she needs you to believe her every word."

"And you know more than her?" Riku asked.

"Oh no," the necklace swung from Jafar's fingers like a pendulum. " _I'm_ just willing to tell you the truth."

 _He couldn't trust Jafar._

 _Could he even trust Maleficent?_

 _It wouldn't hurt to evaluate the information…_ _it would be the smart thing to do._

He knew this game, it was a game of bargaining.

He let his hand fall back to his side, and drew himself to his full height. He still looked like a child next to the willowy sorcerer.

"What do you want for it?" he demanded. "For the information and to keep your mouth closed."

"Oh, I'll keep quiet. What you decide to do with the Prince is your business. I know the allure of royalty in chains," Jafar said. He seemed to relish in the angry blush that spread up Riku's cheeks at the suggestion. He stepped forward, evaluating Riku. "I'll keep quiet if you keep quiet. After all, if you told Maleficent that I was in league with you, I would be-" Jafar ran a finger across his neck, and the bird gulped.

"I'm not in league with you," Riku said. "You're not on my side."

"But that's part of my deal," Jafar give an oily chuckle. He circled Riku, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders. "You work for me. You give me information about Maleficent - what she's planning, her weaknesses. Recommend me to her, and I'll tell you anything your heart desires."

He was whispering in Riku's ear now, coiled around him like a snake. Riku kept his eyes fixed on the door. It would be easy to leave.

So easy…

"I'll even teach you magic," Jafar continued. "I can train you to be so much more than she's let you." It was a tempting offer. To gain his own power. He had no doubt that he could overpower Jafar. "Of course, when the time comes I'll need you to off that little Prince, and be my assassin."

If he waited too long, the opportunity would be gone. He would have to act now.

It would get Sora out of his life. No more confusion.

Just more power.

"Deal," Riku said.

"Cross your heart." Jafar's voice was soft. Teasing.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Riku spat.

He gasped in pain. It felt as though his chest had been stabbed. Flames burned under his body, bubbling like acid in his throat.

He fell to his knees, and through streaming eyes saw Jafar drop the necklace in front of him.

"I shall see you this afternoon. It's a pleasure doing business with you, Prince Riku," Jafar said disdainfully as he stepped over him. The parrot sounded as though it was laughing.

Riku remained on the floor, one hand clutching at his chest, trying to claw the pain away.

It started to ebb, and his fingers shook as he unlaced his doublet.

There were two raw cuts on his chest; a cross over his heart.

 _It was just something to scare him,_ Riku reasoned. _It was to scare him into doing what Jafar asked._

The cuts still throbbed.

He watched the Prince again. He was stood at the bars of his cell. A dog waiting for it's owner to return home. The hole had been abandoned.

Riku sighed, and placed the mirror to one side. He headed down to Jafar's chambers. The long way around. The route that took him past the corridor of Sora's cells.

He paused as he heard the Prince's voice.

"Is Prince Riku coming today? I still have to kick his butt at fencing."

"The Prince isn't allowed down here any more. Queen's orders." A guard cackled.

 _So she had told everyone._ Riku despised her for making him seem like a child. For getting everyone to laugh at his mistakes.

"But what is he doing _here_? _He_ 's not a monster. He's from the Destine Isles too."

The guard only cackled again, and Riku headed past them, shuddering at the thought.

He didn't bother to knock as he entered Jafar's rooms. The air was thick with purple smoke, and the sorcerer had crumbling books propped open. His parrot was running on a bike to power the whole thing.

Riku made sure to jolt the table the bike balanced on as he passed it.

"So, tell me, what's that key?" he demanded.

Jafar actually jumped, and Riku felt triumph glimmer in his heart.

"Prince Riku, I didn't hear you come in. So like your queen," Jafar murmured, he didn't turn.

"Answer me," Riku repeated.

"The necklace is a sign of the highest royal trust. It is what the King gives only his most _trusted_ allies. The Prince, of course. His ward - and the Captain of the Guard." Jafar said. He crumbled a leaf into the potion at a snail's pace.

"What does that have to do with me?" Riku demanded.

"So _impatient_ ," Jafar murmured, but he looked up and gave Riku a cunning smile. A cat who has the cream. "The Captain of the Guard gave that necklace to his son."

Riku felt numb.

"No," he murmured.

"Yes," Jafar replied. His eyes glittered at Riku's horror. "Of course, when the Captain of the Guard was _lost_ to the plague, and his son went missing _tragically_ …the army was disbanded. Before any fighting even occurred."

"No," Riku couldn't feel his mouth. Swarms of accusations - thoughts he never thought he could have - stung his brain. "You're lying."

"Ask your Prince," Jafar replied, with a smug shrug.

"I will," Riku snapped. He stormed from the room.

 _There was no way - it would mean - he wasn't - he couldn't have been -_

It was only when he had slammed the door closed that he realised he had played right into Jafar's trap.

 _But a_ _t least he wouldn't tell anyone_ _where Riku was going. Jafar was a snake, but he usually kept his deals if there was something in it for him_ _._

Riku made a stop at his room, snatching up a garnet ring he had had for years, he tossed it at the guards. He could barely breathe. Barely stop to think.

"Leave for fifteen minutes, and it's yours." He said.

Thankfully, they were more loyal to shiny objects than to Maleficent, and were scurrying down the hallway in a matter of seconds. He waited until they disappeared, then pulled the necklace from his pocket again.

"What is this?" he demanded, showing the pendant to the Prince, who still had his face pressed against the bars.

"Can I have it back?" Sora asked, making a grasp through the bars.

Riku jerked it out of reach.

"Not until you tell me what it is," he said.

Sora rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.

"It's a token of the King's. A sign of favour - and…" Sora trailed off as he looked at Riku. Deciding whether to trust him. He gave a small shake of his head - _no way_ \- and continued. "My friend had one too - his father gave it to him, but he vanished after the last Guard Captain… that boy was also called Riku."

Riku frowned, considering the necklace. The Prince watched him with big blue eyes. They felt like they were boring into his skull. _But the stories matched._

 _How could the stories match?!_

He fell back against the wall, his head whirring. _Who he really was. From the Destine Isles._

His brain was failing to work.

"Riku, are you happy here?" the Prince broke Riku from the hive of his mind.

Riku looked up. The cut on the Prince's head had almost healed, but he looked paler and thinner than when they had first met.

"I will be," Riku said. _It didn't matter. It didn't._ "Once I'm Maleficent's right hand man."

Sora's eyes softened. There was that sickening look of pity.

"She sure has everyone here wrapped around her finger, huh?" he said.

Riku flung the necklace through the bars like it had burnt him.

But then he was coming through the doors.

"You couldn't have made it easy, could you?" he hissed. Sora scrabbled to fasten the necklace around his neck. "You had to come in and start sprouting tales - and just muddying everything - and - and undoing everything!"

"You believe me?" Sora asked, staring at Riku's rage hopefully. It only fuelled the fire.

"No! Yes! I don't know!" Riku yelled. He clutched his hair in his hands. "I. Can't. I can't."

"Riku," Sora's voice was soft. His fingers pressed over Riku's gently. "Please believe me. Maleficent spread the plague. Your father was our Captain. It's the truth."

Riku shook his head. He felt shame rear it's malformed head in his stomach as he whimpered. _This wasn't happening to him. This was a dream._

"She took you from the Destine Isles and raised you here - I guess as a weapon against us. It…definitely made an impression…but you belong by my side." Sora continued.

"I can't - I can't -" he muttered. "I'm not a monster." His fists clenched, and Sora's touch disappeared. "You don't know anything about me."

"But I do," Sora said. Like he was coaxing a lion not to bite him. He reached towards Riku's face, and Riku flinched away. The very tips of Sora's fingers rested on his cheeks. He froze at the contact - the soft contact - and Sora looked him in the eye. "I've seen your eyes before. In dreams."

Riku stared at the Prince. Sora's lips were curved upwards slightly, but his eyes were full of sorrow. Wisdom. He looked much older than sixteen in that moment.

"I know your name is Riku," Prince Sora continued. His fingers twitched slightly on Riku's skin. Riku wanted to shy away, to run, but he was held by Sora's gaze. Like a spell. "I know you have a bad temper, and that you're a sore loser, but that deep down you're actually very kind." Sora's thumb nudged the edge of his lip and he stiffened. Sora's expression only grew more melancholy. "I know that you've never known love here."

"Maleficent loves me," Riku murmured. His hands closed over Sora's wrists, ready to push them away, but he didn't.

"Then why do you flinch?" Sora whispered. His fingers twitched, and Riku threw him away from him, pressing himself defensively against the door. _'Don't let people get close. You always get hurt in the end.'_

Sora stumbled, then crossed his arms against his chest, like he was holding himself together.

"I -" Riku started. He squeezed his eyes shut to stop his head from spinning. "I don't know what to think."

"It's okay," Sora murmured. "You'll see soon enough."

"Why would she lie to me?" Riku demanded, but he didn't expect Sora to have the answers.

Sora shrugged.

"If _you_ were the one attacking us...I know we wouldn't be able to resist. My father wouldn't be willing to risk you." He said. He looked up at Riku, and smiled slightly. "And I wouldn't be able to either."

"You're crazy," Riku shook his head. "You - and your - dreams."

"I'm not prophetic like Kairi - but - I do have dreams about the past," the Prince said.

Riku shook his head again, now unsure whether to laugh. _Sora had to be lying. He was insane._

"It's true - it's like looking into a magic mirror," he said.

"So tell me where I was last week," Riku said.

"It doesn't work like that," Sora mumbled.

Riku gave a sharp bark of a laugh. _This was all nonsense._

"Okay, your majesty," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"The point still stands that I was right. Our country is not responsible for the plague," Sora said.

Riku couldn't argue with that. Jafar was telling him the same things.

 _None of this made sense._

"Well, look, I have to-"

"Go?" Sora raised an eyebrow. "You usually do when you feel uncomfortable."

"I have to go because I can't be caught here again," Riku hissed.

The Prince took a step back. He frowned.

"You said before…you were in trouble because of me…" he said slowly.

Riku rolled his eyes – _did he even need to grace that with an answer_ _?_

"So why do you keep coming?" Sora asked.

The Prince stared at him with innocent eyes. Like a puppy. But there was a small, knowing smile on his face. Like he already knew the answer. Like a cat.

Maybe he was a kitten after all.

"Because," Riku stumbled for an excuse. "I – I want to show you you're wrong."

Sora covered his mouth with his hand, but it was too late. Riku had heard the laugh.

"I'm serious!" he snapped. Trying to turn the ice back on, but heat was creeping across his cheeks.

"I think you're starting to believe me," Sora said.

Riku opened the door of the cell silently. It was too late. No matter what he said now, he couldn't redeem himself. Best to leave before anything else happened.

"I'll tell you about my dream tonight!" Sora hissed through the bars of the cell. "And you'll believe me then."

"Not likely," Riku muttered to himself, but his stomach lurched.

They both knew he was lying.


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N): I meant to get this out quicker; but you know exams, and work and teeange angst so. Here it is.**

 **(How about that E3 trailer? u)**

* * *

Chapter Five :

"Have you noticed anything about the guards, lately?" Maleficent said. Then added, teasingly – tantalisingly. "My prince?"

"What do you mean?" Riku asked. Fear chilled his stomach.

It was breakfast. Jafar was still there. Watching him like a hawk from across the table. He ignored it.

"They seem more incompetent than usual," Maleficent commented. "I found the one stationed on guard duty gambling in the grounds last night."

 _The foolish, son of a-_

"Maybe we should discipline them more," Riku forced his face to remain blank. Forced his breathing to be even.

"Oh, I did," Maleficent smiled. The kind of smile that suggested the imp wasn't alive any more. And that she had enjoyed that. "He was gambling with one of your rings."

Riku's spoon clattered down. Jafar was smirking. He ignored that too.

"That little - _thief_!" Riku tried to cover up his action. Act like it was a surprise. If the imp was dead – it wasn't like he . "He must have been trying to run off with it!"

"You think so?" Maleficent's lips curved upwards.

"Why else would he have it?" Riku snapped. He hoped he didn't sound panicked.

Maleficent was silent. She took a sip of tea. There was no steam coming out the top.

 _She really was inhuman_ _–_ _to drink cold tea._

"So, I decided to pay a visit to our little puppy," she said, slowly.

Jafar's smirk increased.

Riku's stomach dropped ten floors.

"You did?" he asked. His voice broke an octave, and he coughed. _Was he too old to pretend that it_ _was just puberty?_

"Oh yes," Maleficent was smiling. A cold, killer's smile. "You have to _discipline_ puppies, Riku. _You_ know that."

 _Sora!_

Riku felt sick. The memory of last night came back to him. The Prince's hands on his face. His fingertips warm. Gentle. The earnest look on his face. The small, knowing smile. The sympathetic smile.

 _"We won't be able to defend ourselves."_

Maleficent had hurt the Prince. It would be like kicking a puppy.

He had to make sure he was okay.

"What's the matter, your highness?" Jafar asked. "You look as though you've gone off of your food."

Riku forced himself to breathe.

"Lost in thought," he said, forcing a small smile. It felt like a grimace.

He shovelled the rest of the food into his mouth, swallowing with difficulty.

"Sword practice," he said, leaving the table. His boots clicked too loudly and too quickly as he walked away.

As soon as he was out of the hall, he began to run.

He felt breathless as he charged up the stairs.

There was no imp on guard outside the cell.

His fingers fumbled with the lock, slipping on the key. His palms were sweaty. There was a cold sweat on the back of his neck.

"Ow!" there was a cry as he pushed the door open.

The Prince was stumbling away from the door, his fingers on his forehead.

Panicked, slightly scared and pale, but there was no blood.

He looked exactly as he had the night before. Aside from the red mark that Riku had just created on his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Riku panted

Sora blinked at him.

"I'm fine," he said.

"Just as I suspected," a purring voice came from behind Riku.

His blood turned to ice and his heart skipped a beat.

"Riku, did I not forbid you from coming here?" Maleficent asked.

Riku couldn't breathe. He didn't have a reply.

"Wait, no - it's not Riku-" Sora stepped forward.

"Silence," Maleficent flicked a finger. Darkness swarmed around the room. Riku's vision swam.

He felt Maleficent's hand on his shoulder, her nails digging in. He was helpless as she frogmarched him up to his room. His entire body had gone numb. Like a doll. A toy.

He had always been a toy for her to play with.

He stumbled into his room. Maleficent seemed to loom over him;twice her usual size.

'Never apologize.'

He couldn't form words.

Maleficent glared down her nose at him.

"You disobeyed me," her voice rang through the air like thunder.

"He was trying to escape," Riku whispered. That had been what he had told himself.

That had been his lie.

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Maleficent's words were like throwing knives in the air. "Never make excuses."

Her ring cut into his cheek as she reinforced the lesson.

"Yes, my queen," Riku said the words automatically. Muscle memory. His cheek slung from the slap.

"Two days," Maleficent said. "Two days to think about what you've done."

"Of course," Riku's mouth was dry. He felt himself shaking. His mouth stung. He thought he felt blood.

But he could only see Sora's face. Panic. Fear.

 _He was the reason for that_

 _He had fallen right into the trap._

The door to his room slammed.

His hands twitched. Wanting the mirror.

The cold crept up him, keeping him in place.

 _But at least the Prince was okay._

 _Why did he care?_

 _Why did he care that Sora was okay?_

 _He just seemed so fragile. And warm. A baby bird._

Riku frowned.

The Prince's accusations, the flicker of fear in Maleficent's eye, Jafar's stories…

 _Was he wrong? Was he believing the Prince? Over_ Maleficent _?_

 _What if it was all true?_

Riku was more lost than ever.

Riku's back stung.

The imps always left silvery scars - like a cobweb across his back.

It was usually enough to make him stop. To make him never think about what he had been forbidden to do.

Instead, he had his mirror in his hands.

There was no danger of anyone walking in. The door had been locked - physically and with magic. Just in case.

For all intents and purposes, Riku didn't exist for two days.

One now, he forced himself to remember. About eighteen hours. He had to keep track. Or he would go mad.

His stomach groaned for a solid minute.

Though it was pitch black outside, the Prince wasn't asleep. He was up, at the bar of his cell.

Riku frowned, and switched the image to the corridor.

The Prince was talking to the guards, his lips black in the dim light of the corridor.

He seemed concerned.

Riku pressed his face against the door, straining to hear the words. But he couldn't make them out. Only a soft rumble.

Riku sighed. There was nothing to do. His back and stomach hurt.

But he didn't feel guilty. He didn't regret what he had done. And he didn't feel guilty for not feeling guilty.

 _He ha done the right thing._

 _Or had he?_

 _Or hadn't he?_ _Shouldn't he still be loyal to Maleficent?_

His head begun to hurt as well as he thought about it.

 _When had everything gotten so complicated?_

Riku was meditating when the door opened. He had picked up the habit years ago; though only recently had he started to think about islands and the ocean.

He didn't open his eyes, determined now to act as though he was indifferent to Maleficent's reappearance.

But a loud growl from his stomach at the smell of food gave him away.

He sighed through his nose, and opened his eyes.

Maleficent was standing in the doorway. She was holding a fully-cooked chicken.

"Have you learnt your lesson, Riku?" she asked.

It was _steaming._

Riku longed to say 'yes'.

But he had been thinking for two days. And he couldn't just roll over any more.

Cats don't do tricks.

"The Prince said you started the plague," he said. He stood, and saw a flash dart across Maleficent's face. Fear. Or anger. Perhaps shock. "He said you sent it to his country, but that it backfired."

Maleficent smiled.

"He's a liar, my darling," she said. Gently. The tone she used when she cared about him. "He's trying to turn you against me."

"He said I was the Captain of the Guard's son," Riku's voice was shaking. He clenched his fists. "That-"

"Well you are," Maleficent said. Too easily. "But what does it matter? You're a Prince now. You're _my prince._ "

RIku's stomach growled again.

"He said the Destine Isles don't have an army," Riku said.

"'He said this', 'he said that'," Maleficent pulled a face, and rolled her eyes. Like she was dealing with a child. "Riku, I thought you were smarter than this…his poison's seeping through to your brain. He's only trying to earn your trust because he wants to _escape_. He doesn't _care_ about _you_."

When she said it like that...it was obvious. _Why should he trust the Prince?_ It was foolish. _Ridiculous._

" _I_ care about you, Riku," Maleficent stepped forward. Her nails ran through Riku's hair, treating it as though it were gold. "I _raised_ you. I saved you."

"You saved me," he murmured. He found himself leaning into her touch.

"The Prince is lying to you," Maleficent said.

Riku hesitated. _There was something else - something he was forgetting..._

Maleficent's eyes flashed.

"The Prince is lying," he repeated, sleepily.

Maleficent pressed the dish with the chicken into his hands.

"Good boy," she cooed, smiling at him.

 _Such a kind smile._

 _See?_

 _She does love me. She does care._

 _The Prince_ must _be lying_.

Something niggled at Riku's peace.

He was licking the bones of his chicken clean when he decided that he had to see the Prince. Had to confront him.

Maleficent had told him not to. But he was cleverer now. Prepared for the Prince's tricks.

He wasn't really disobeying her, he told himself. He was just clearing things up.

Just one more time.

There was no guard posted outside. Maleficent didn't need a watcher any more. She never thought Riku would come back down.

"You lied to me," Riku snapped. He was in the cell.

The Prince stood. His features seemed blurry. A pale blob.

"I thought we got past this," he seemed to say with a sigh.

"Maleficent said you were tricking me. That you were lying," Riku's voice rebounded off of the walls like a dagger.

"Riku – are you okay?" the Prince stepped forward. "You don't look so well."

"I'm a _Prince_ ," Riku said. His voice trembled. "You should treat me like one."

"I'm not lying to you," the Prince repeated. He was close now. Riku could see the blur of his eyes, but his vision seemed hazy. Foggy. The colours were muted. "Trust me."

"No!" Riku stepped back. It was happening again. "I trust _her_! I trust-"

"Riku – you're really not well!" the Prince's voice seemed sharp, digging into his temples. Daggers.

"You're a lying, deceitful-"

Riku's voice broke off.

The Prince's lips were pressed against his own.

He froze. Every inch of him froze. His brain seemed to stop working. He couldn't think.

Sora pulled away. His eyes flickered across Riku's hesitantly. As though checking for a mark.

But things seemed to be in focus. Riku could see the details of the bricks now. He could see the dark blush of Sora's eyelashes. The features like a doll's.

The graze on Sora's temple.

"What-" Riku fell back against the door, pressing a hand against his forehead. What had he been so sure of? Why had he stormed down here, full of such anger?

He couldn't even remember how he got here.

"Are you okay now?" Sora asked.

He looked up from his palm to meet two concerned blue eyes.

"What just happened?" Riku asked. His voice felt weak. His legs were trembling like he was exhausted.

He was exhausted. And weak.

Sora's cheeks flushed pink.

"Well, I could – uh, see that you were enchanted, so – I – just – your welcome," Sora said, haltingly.

"Did you just kiss me?" Riku said. He frowned, remembering the touch of soft lips against his own. That warmth.

"You needed a shock," Sora said. As though it was simple science. "To break the enchantment."

"You couldn't have punched me?" Riku said.

"You were so angry I was afraid that you'd just punch me back," Sora said, sheepishly. "It wouldn't have helped."

Riku stared at him. He was completely baffled.

And his heart was pounding in his chest. He was embarrassed. Ashamed.

His eyes latched onto the graze on Sora's excuse to change the subject.

"What happened to you?" he said.

"Oh, that was where I hit the wall a couple of days ago," Sora waved it off. "It's okay, I have worse bruises from the imps."

"What?" Riku blinked.

"Yeah, this morning they came in," Sora said. "Apparently it was Maleficent's orders."

"...You don't seem to be that concerned," Riku said.

Sora shrugged.

"I have been _kidnapped_. I expected a lot more of that sort of thing," he said. He smiled, but Riku saw the slightest hint of a wince. _He was in pain. But he was hiding it._ "They filled up my hole, as well. I don't think I'll be able to get it that big again with my bare hands."

"It's because you told me," Riku said. Sora just blinked innocently up at him. "You told me about the plague – who I – the-"

He still stumbled on the word. If he said the word then he would have to admit it. That he was wrong.

And he'd have to decide what he would do about that.

 _What would he do about that?_

"The truth," Sora said.

"The truth," Riku forced himself to spit the words out. "No – it can't be-"

"I had a dream last night," Sora said.

"What?" Riku pressed his fingers to his temples. Massaging away the headache that had been swimming in and out of there for days.

"I had a dream," Sora's gaze had grown distant. "I think it was about you. It looked like you - silver hair and icy eyes. A small boy in a cold room. It was - _very_ cold - your breath was coming out as fog. But you weren't huddled in bed, you were pressed against the door. You were crying out - for Maleficent I think - but then you resorted to anyone. You screamed so much that your voice got hoarse and you cried so hard that you were choking. You said you were hungry.

"An imp appeared at the window. It smiled down at you and you reached up for help - you were desperate -

"It tried to bite your fingers. And then it laughed. And threw a rock into your room. And you were so exhausted that you couldn't throw it back. You just kind of -collapsed - and fell asleep."

Riku was finding it hard to breathe. He remembered that day. Days like that always stuck in his memory. An incentive to do as he was told.

 _But how on earth could the Prince know that?_

"That's not-" he shook his head. "That's not possible. For you to know that."

Sora shrugged.

"I told you - I sometimes dream of the past," he said.

"But there's-" Riku sighed and broke off. He frowned. There were many days like that. All it would take was a guess. Knowing what had happened just yesterday.

"Usually if I'm thinking about a person a lot, that helps." Sora added.

"Is this just an elaborate trap to get away?" Riku demanded. He felt anger rise in him again.

Not anger - shame.

But at more than his childhood.

He had been enchanted - how embarrassing.

He was actually believing the Prince cared - how embarrassing.

"Well I want to leave," Sora said. "But now I realise I have to take you with me."

"I can't come with you." Riku said.

Sora nodded. Resigned.

"You can trust me," Sora said. "I know the dream thing is weird - it weirds people out - but I thought it would help."

"I-" Riku couldn't think of the words. "I can't trust you."

"It must be so hard for you," Sora said. His face was overcome with pity.

No - not pity - empathy?

 _How could he be_ empathetic _?_

Sora cupped Riku's face in his hands again.

"I know you'll find your path," he said.

Riku felt heat rising in his face and neck. He pushed Sora's hands away.

"Stop that," he said. "What, are you going to kiss me again?"

The Prince's cheeks flushed.

"Next time I'll just leave you under her spell," he said indignantly.

"I'm sorry," Riku said. Then frowned.

 _He had apologised?_

 _But he did. He felt ashamed that he had believed Maleficent._

 _That had never happened before?_

 _Was he starting to believe Sora?_

He pushed the question from his mind. He had to stop thinking of it as an either-or. He had to find the truth. Accept it. And move on. He didn't have time to think about things.

"I didn't think you were allowed here?" Sora said slowly. He pressed the toe of his boot into the floor.

"I didn't think so either," Riku said.

"Will you come back?" Sora said. "I want – to talk," at the look on Riku's face he stepped forward. He looked desperate. Panicked. "It doesn't have to be about the wars – or countries – but I just want to talk. I need someone to talk to."

Riku looked down. Sora's hand was in his own. Gripping him tightly.

He pulled his hand away.

"I guess," Riku muttered.

Sora's face burst into a grin. Riku's heart stuttered again. He thought it was important to add.

"If I can get away."

"Well, well, are you finally let off of your leash?" Jafar asked. He hadn't had to turn around.

 _He thought he was so clever_. Riku was leaning on the door frame. He had made sure to make noise.

"When are you let off yours?" he replied.

"Oh, you'll find my leash isn't attached to Maleficent," Jafar said.

"Isn't attached to Maleficent-" Riku swore he was going to _grot_ that bird.

"Why are you here?" Jafar continued. He finally turned and fixed his beady eyes onto Riku.

"You said you'd teach me magic," Riku said. "I'm here to learn."

Jafar gave him a sleezy smile.

"Please," he said, with a gesture. "Come in."

Riku stepped forward. The door slammed behind him. He rolled his eyes.

"I hope you're not going to teach me parlour tricks," he said.

"I'll teach you how to control the darkness," Jafar said.

Riku snorted.

"I already know how to do that," he said.

Jafar laughed. Like a child was being particularly stupid.

"What Maleficent has shown you is only child's play," he said.

"Then teach me," Riku snapped.

He knew he was falling into a trap. That this couldn't be good for him.

But he had to take the risk.

He couldn't even trust Maleficent…who could he trust? He would need his own power - take his own initiative.

The darkness was sluggish to respond to him as he called it in the way Jafar told him to. It was heavy and thick. An effort.

Jafar only seemed amused by his attempts.

"It takes one of a strong will to control darkness," he remarked from his desk as he watched RIku struggling to draw the shadows towards him. "Maybe your heart is divided, hm?"

"You wish," Riku said through gritted teeth. It slipped towards him like treacle.

"Of course," Jafar stood. "Keep trying then."

With that, he slithered off to another corner of his makeshift lab. The parrot watched Riku, a smile on it's lips.

He realised his hold on the darkness, and found his breathing was laboured. Heavy. His face was damp with sweat.

He was exhausted.

"Of course, little Prince, if you're too tired, we can always try again tomorrow," Jafar said.

"No," there was such a jolt in Riku's stomach at the thought. Of being seen as weak. "There must be something else."

"Oh, there is," Jafar's eyes twinkled at him, and he knew he was falling deeper into the trap. "Did you know there is a hundred and one uses for a knife?"

Riku had to take this gamble.


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N): I feel like it's been a while since I updated? But I've been going through exams so time seems slow.  
Anyway, I thought it was important to say that I go on holiday tomorrow so I'll try to write, but if I don't then it probably means I'm having a good time. I might now get wifi everywhere, but I'll try to reply to reviews.  
Thank you all so much for your support and your lovely words! xx**

* * *

He collapsed onto his bed, gasping for air. His muscles felt like jelly. Or like they were going to snap at any moment. His whole body glistened with sweat. Riku could barely move.

Jafar hadn't asked him to do anything much. Some basic defence with a knife. Throwing it. Picking a lock properly. Using a tiny amount of magic to switch a lock. How to climb a wall using a knife.

A dozen other little things.

It shouldn't have left him exhausted like this. It shouldn't have left his heart pounding.

But Riku knew the reason why. His body was weak after two days of not being fed. He had over done it. His body was still sore from the lashes on his back.

And he knew whose fault that was. His own. For breaking Maleficent's rule. It shouldn't have even been that hard.

 _So why had he?_

With an effort, Riku rolled over. He had been curious.

'Curiousity killed the cat, my kitten.' He could practically hear Maleficent purring in his ear.

He couldn't keep doing this. He couldn't risk trashing his body like this again - not with the war so close. _Just stick it out. Just stick it out for another week._

 _Just until the attack on the Destine Isles._

 _The Destine Isles…_

 _His home…?_

 _This was his home._

 _But it wasn't where he was born._

Riku felt a strange reluctance to lay siege to the islands now. It swam up in his stomach, and he was too tired to fight it.

But there was no way he could risk seeing the Prince again. His stomach protested too much at the thought.

Riku drifted into an uneasy sleep.

He was awoken by a scratching on his cheek.

At first he thought it was the damn cat, and nudged it off.

Then he realised that it wasn't a claw at all. It was Maleficent.

"Your majesty," his eyes snapped open, and he tried to sit up, but his body screamed in protest.

"You didn't show up to breakfast," Maleficent said, looking down at him with hooded lids. "You're usually so _punctual._ "

"I-" even Riku's throat hurt. "I'm sorry."

"You look paler than usual," Maleficent remarked, stooping towards him. He felt her cold fingers on his forehead. "You're not well."

"I'm - fine," Riku said, managing to get onto his elbows.

"You need your rest, my Prince," Maleficent said. She brushed hair away from his head, but it wasn't comforting any more. He felt as though he was being petted. Not the way Sora had touched him. The way his fingers had rested on his cheeks, moving with him. The gentle brush of his lips.

He wondered what Prince Sora's fingers would feel like in his hair.

"I'll get the guard's to bring you your meals," Maleficent was already leaving. "I want you in top form for when our plan commences."

Riku nodded. His head felt light. Full of images of Prince's smiling at him.

He sighed, and pressed a palm to his face.

Then he reached under his pillow, and pulled out the hand mirror.

The Prince was asleep against the door again. Peaceful. The shadows of the bars on his windows cast the sunlight against his face.

 _Sleeping beauty._ The thought came to Riku, and he smirked despite himself. _A foolish girl._

 _That's what Maleficent had told him._

 _What had Sora been told?_

He hadn't visited. He had said he would try.

 _When did he care?_

It didn't matter anyway. He had no energy.

The door handle turned, and he shoved the mirror back under his pillow, accepting the now cold food brought to him.

It was going to be a long day.

Riku woke when dawn was just beginning to break on the horizon. He had slept most of the previous day, and now he had woken too early.

But that was okay. There was something every inch of him itched to do.

He dressed, then headed down the hallway to the Prince's cell. The shadows gathered around him easily, oosing out of the cracks in the wall like honey.

It wasn't hard to flick a small knife down the corridor to distract the guard.

He slipped in silently.

And was immediately tackled by a hug. Sora had grabbed his neck, and was squeezing him. Tight. Too tightly. His hair was smotheirng Riku's face, and his body was pressed against him.

It was like hugging a furnace.

Riku swore the boy was lighting fires in here when he was gone.

"Get off," he muttered.

"You came back," Sora whispered.

"Yeah, well," Riku stepped backwards. "I said I would."

"You said that the day before yesterday," Sora said. Riku pressed a finger to his lips, and motioned towards the guard.

They moved to the other end of the cell.

"I…I was out of action," he said.

Sora blinked at him as they both slid to sit at the bottom of the wall.

"You were…." Sora tilted his head to one side. "Sick?"

"No," Riku felt his cheeks grow warm. "I just couldn't make it."

"Okay," Sora was biting back a grin, and Riku glared at him. "How long are you staying?"

"Until they change the guard," Riku replied. "I'll slip out then."

"So you're still not allowed to see me?" Sora asked, a smirk coming to his face.

Riku didn't reply.

"But you're here anyway," Sora said.

"Why don't you try to escape?" Riku asked.

"I told you - I have to take you with me." Sora said. As though it was obvious.

"That's easier said than done," Riku muttered.

"You're not the one in a cell," Sora said.

"It feels like it, sometimes," Riku said. He was surprised that it had slipped out. There was something about the Prince - some reason that he didn't want to hold back his emotions.

He had never told anyone that before.

Then again, who could he have told?

"Yeah, your room didn't look very comfortable," Sora said. His eyes glassed over.

"Okay, the dream thing is creepy. I don't know how you thought it would get me to trust you." Riku said. He didn't mention the mirror.

"But you do trust me - don't you?" Sora asked.

His hands closed over Riku's, on top of Riku's knee.

"I don't trust anyone any more," Riku said. His gaze was fixed on their hands. His hand looked so pale underneath Sora's suntan. Like ice.

Sora hummed lightly.

"But you don't trust Maleficent?" he pressed.

Riku shook his head.

Sora's fingers squeezed his hand. It made Riku's heart burn in his chest.

"You might still be lying to escape," Riku said.

"That would be a good way out, wouldn't it?" Sora asked, a smile tugging at his lips. "But then why would I have this?"

He pulled out the small key from around his neck. It caught the sunshine dazzlingly.

"Jafar did say you were telling the truth,"Riku murmured, mostly to himself.

"Jafar!" Sora stared at him. "You're trusting Jafar?!"

"I don't exactly have the pick of the bunch here," Riku said. "You know him?"

"He tried to rule Agrabah!" Sora cried. "Is _everyone_ you know a tyrant?!"

Riku shrugged.

"I never thought they were…" he said. He'd always been told he was lucky. Special. _Maybe he wasn't…_

"You must have been lonely here," Sora said. His voice was soft suddenly.

"It was okay," Riku said. "I read a lot."

"Oh, I did too - I loved pretending that I was having adventures with pirates and cowboys too!" Sora's face lit up like a child's.

"I...didn't read books like that," Riku said.

"Oh," Sora's face fell.

They sat in silence. They seemed so far apart...

And yet, Riku felt oddly close to the Prince. A connection. A string.

What was more strange was that idea didn't repulse him. It didn't bother him.

But after the week he had had, was that really so much of a surprise?

His hand turned around, lacing his fingers into Sora's as though it moved on its own.

There was an odd feeling in Riku's stomach. A bubbling like champagne.

"Do you need any more food?" he asked, surprising himself at how soft his voice sounded.

"Yeah," Sora said. Like it was obvious. It _was_ obvious. "But I need to get out even more."

"I can't do that," Riku said. He knew he wasn't being accused, but guilt curdled his stomach.

"I know," Sora's fingers squeezed his. He seemed sad.

His hand moved slowly, bringing Riku's hand to his mouth. His lips brushed Riku's knuckles.

Riku yanked his hand away.

"What are you doing?!" he asked.

Sora blinked, as though he didn't have an answer either.

Riku stood. He heard a voice from outside. He had to leave.

He gave Sora a final, bewildered stare, before he disappeared.

Riku's knuckles tingled. Like the Prince had left sparks across them. A magic spell.

Or had he been the Prince to wake him up?

"You said a Prince saved Prince Aurora," Riku said.

Maleficent's eyes flicked to him. She had called him to the reading room. An honour when he was a child; something that chilled his heart now; and not just because the sooty fireplace was empty, or the wind barelling against the windows.

"I wouldn't use the word 'saved', my Prince," she said. "And it was not the Prince upstairs, if that's what you're thinking."

"Of course not," Riku said. Forcing himself not to speak too quickly. "I was just thinking-"

"Don't think," Maleficent said. Snapped. Then her face softened. "Let me do the thinking. I'm very stressed right now, dearest - planning a war is very taxing."

"I'm sorry," Riku's mouth snapped shut. He had been put in his place again. Like when he was a child.

"I don't want you to worry about the Prince any more," Maleficent's fingers rubbed her temples. "I want you to focus on preparing yourself for next week."

"We're invading next week?" Riku's stomach dropped.

"Yes," Maleficent almost sighed. "Saturday."

That gave Riku nine days.

What was he going to do?

He told himself he didn't care about the Prince.

 _He didn't care._

He cared.

But he couldn't help him get out. Surely. That would be…like a moth flying into the light.

At the same time, he wasn't so sure he could let this happen either.

What had Jafar said? That his heart was divided?

It felt like he was being split in two.

The shadows weighed down on him like a stone. They were thick, and difficult to pull along with him. A weak will struggles to control them.

But he managed to get down to the Prince's cell. _Two visits in one day. If he wasn't obsessed before, he was now._

He pushed the heavy door open as silently as he could.

The Prince was sleeping, his head resting on his shoulder, looking as though it was broken. His knees were brought close to his chest, but he was shivering.

Riku closed the door. The sight was almost endearing.

He rolled his eyes - had he really become so soft? - and rushed forward, shaking Sora's shoulders.

"What's wrong?" Sora's words bled into each other. His eyelashes were wet.

"You're running out of time," Riku told him. "Nine days."

Sora frowned at him. Then his eyes widened as he took in the words.

"I can't get out without your help," he said. "You know the castle better than anyone."

Riku shook his head.

Sora's hands took his own.

"Please, Riku, you have to help," Sora said. He really did have eyes like a puppy - even more earnest and pleading, if that was possible.

"If I was caught here…" the words trailed off.

"But you are here," Sora said.

Riku nodded slowly.

"So what are you going to do?" Sora asked.

Riku shook his head.

"I don't know."

The Prince stepped forward. His fingers nudged Riku's, and the memory of his lips on his hand rushed back to him, making Riku jerk away. Sora paused, they were practically chest to chest – it would have been eye to eye if Sora hadn't been so darn short.

"What did they do to you?" the Prince's voice was barely a murmur.

Riku blinked at him.

"The same as usual," he said. "No food, a beating."

Sora's expression turned stricken.

"It's fine - it's normal," Riku said. He couldn't understand the horror on the Prince's face.

"No - Riku - it's not," the Prince said. His palm rested on Riku's chest as lightly as a feather. "It's really not."

"Maleficent - she always said she cared for me," Riku said. It had been the only truth he had clung to as a child; and now he wasn't even sure if it was true.

Sora's gaze flicked downwards. He sighed.

"I'm so sorry for causing you so much grief," he said. "This must be hard for you."

"Well, you're the one in a cage," Riku replied. His hand hovered above Sora's head. Wanting to comfort him - but unsure how. He had never dared to reach out like this before.

Sora silently took Riku's hand, and pressed it against his face. Riku's fingers twitched as they settled against the Prince's cheek. His skin was so soft…like a peach.

Riku's mind screamed at him to pull away. Sora's fingers moved on his chest, resting just above his pounding heart.

"You've never been held, have you, Riku?" Sora asked. His voice seemed distant; far away.

Riku went to speak, and an embarassing gasp came out of his mouth.

He gritted his teeth, and pulled his hand away from Sora. _What was he doing? He couldn't be-_

Sora stepped forward, lacing his arms through Riku's and hugging him. Not the manic bear hug from the morning. Something more tender. Something softer.

"It's okay," Sora whispered to him, his face hidden beneath his mound of hair.

Riku froze. _Was this how people were supposed to hug? Really?_

His arms slowly closed around Sora, his hands only just touching the Prince's back. He was scared that if he held Sora too hard, he might break. Disappear.

Or pull away.

His eyes were wet. He buried them in Sora's hair in case the Prince looked up and saw.

The Prince gave him a reassuring squeeze.

 _Maybe this wasn't so bad._

 _Maybe he even…liked it?_

He had to get the Prince out. Sora didn't belong in a place like this. Sora was like a bird - a parakeet or a finch - small and delicate - desperate to be free. Sora - with his earnest eyes and gentle touch and huge grins, didn't belong in a place so cold and dark and damp.

"We're meant to be - planning an escape…" Riku murmured. Trying to swallow down the lump in his throat.

"I know," Sora didn't question his change of heart. "But I - could you stay with me - the night?"

Riku froze. He could feel Sora's ribs expanding as he breathed. It was fascinating. Like holding a bird or a rabbit.

"You're still scared of the dark?" Riku murmured. It was easier to be sarcastic. To try and rebuild the wall.

But the Prince looked up at him.

"As scared as you are," he said.

Riku didn't have an answer to that.

"I didn't bring anything," he said. Searching for an excuse. "It would be difficult for me to sneak out-"

"You're fine," Sora said, and hugged him again. Fiercely.

"What's with all the affection?" Riku asked, his arms still awkward. It must have been like hugging a marble statue.

"You deserve affection," Sora replied, his voice muffled against Riku's coat. "You've missed out on so much."

"Don't go getting Stockholm syndome," Riku said. He didn't have the will to push away.

"You're not my captor," Sora said. "it was never really you."

"This is what I mean," Riku pulled Sora away by his shoulders, but the Prince only laughed.

"Riku - if you still lived in the Destine Isles you would be my friend," Sora said. "And you're my friend now - even if you won't admit it," he smiled. "A captor doesn't help a prisoner escape."

Riku rolled his eyes. Once again, he didn't have an argument.

"I don't need - sympathy from you," he muttered, moving to the wall they had sat at earlier.

"Yes, you do," Sora said. He sat down heavily next to him, and rested his head on Riku's shoulder. Like the weight of a cat. "You've never had any sympathy, have you?"

"I don't feel I've missed out on much," Riku said, shuffling away.

Sora followed him. The amount of touching was making Riku feel nervous.

But also - a little warm inside. Using a fireplace to light a candle.

"There was," Sora paused. A guard walked by outside. "There was this tree back home. And it grew star-shaped fruit."

"Why are you telling me this?" Riku asked. He let Sora rest his head again.

"Because - I miss home," Sora said.

Riku felt heat rise to his face.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"What was that?" Sora's face twitched.

"I -" RIku realised what Sora was doing and gave a dry laugh. "I'm not saying it again."

"You're so different now," Sora said. "I guess it's true; an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."

Riku was less than impressed with the saying.

"You really believe that?" he asked.

Sora shrugged.

Do you love me?" he replied.

"Do you?"

They were both silent. Unsure of it that was good or bad.

Riku cleared his throat; searching for something to change the subject.

"You know the story of Sleeping Beauty?" he asked.

"Of course," Sora muttered. He blew Riku's silvery hair away from his face. "Don't you?"

"I want to hear your version," Riku muttered.

Sora begun the tale, but his words were slow and lazy.

Barely five minutes later, he was sound asleep.

And shivering slightly.

Riku unclasped his cloak, and pulled it around them both.

 _He could leave. It would be easy to. It was weird - staying with the Prince._

 _But it was also kind of comfortable. And warm. Like the Prince emitted a glow._

It was scarcely ten minutes later, when Riku was asleep as well.


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N): I'm catching myself up on chapters that I've written.^^ ""**

 **Thanks so so much for all of your support and I hope you enjoy the next chapter! C:**

* * *

Chapter Seven :

Riku's back and side ached when he awoke. The Prince was still leaning on him, and they had both huddled under his cloak for warmth.

The sun was too bright - heightening the chill of the cell.

Riku stared at the door, his starting to think of passages and routes to get Sora out.

"G'mornin'," Sora murmured, his arm snaking around Riku's waist.

"You have to get out," Riku said, his hand ready to untangle himself.

"Hm," Sora pushed himself up slightly. "Only if you come with me."

"I'll take you as far as I can," Riku said. _What would Maleficent do when she found out?_

But surely it was the right thing to do?

 _When he had become so ready to risk everything for Sora?_

"I'll protect you," Sora said. His hair was squashed on one side, and there were sheet marks on his cheek. It was funny to think of him defenidng anyone.

"I have to leave," Riku said, reluctantly. He seemed comfy here; a refuge from the panics that had plagued him.

"Why?" Sora asked, his arm tighter around Riku.

"Negotiations," Riku stood slowly. "I'll - do what I can."

Sora smiled at him. A small, sleepy smile that made Riku's heart judder strangely.

He left, feeling stiff and awkward. Like he had been asleep for longer than one night.

Maleficent was waiting for him at the door of the castle.

"You look different," she said.

"I didn't sleep well," Riku replied. He was suddenly paranoid she would be able to read Sora's influence on his face. _Was he smiling?_

"On the contrary," Maleficent said slowly, her eyes scrutinising his face. Then she shook her head. "Come. We have work to do."

Riku frowned as she turned, his fingers feeling over his face. His cheeks felt warmer than usual, but not enough to make a difference.

He climbed into the carriage, perplexed.

The carriage ride was silent. Something unspoken. Something had changed. Riku wasn't sure if Maleficent felt that too.

"Will I...be going to the Destine Isles?" Riku asked, as he starred at the blackened trees.

"If you're a good boy," Maleficent replied.

"What's the sea like?" Riku asked. He tried not to seem to bothered.

Maleficent smiled at him.

"Riku, dearest, curiousity killed the cat," Maleficent said gently. But the real answer was clear. 'Keep out.'

He couldn't imagine seeing blue naturally in the landscape. Outside to Riku was browns and greys.

Sora must have been lucky. To have grown up around such luxuries like the ocean.

"Why do you ask?" Maleficent asked. There was an edge to her voice.

"Just," Riku tried not to pause for an excuse. "Thinking about invading next week."

"Focus on the moment," Maleficent said. "You'll last longer."

 _The moment? The moment was searching for a way to get Sora to escape. The moment was rebelling against everything he had been brought up to believe._

But focusing on the moment seemed easier than thinking about what he was doing.

"I hate to say this, Captain," Riku murmured. The group of Pirates had met them at the mouth of a grey, withering river and they were leant against the railing. Maleficent was watching the pirates exchanging cargo. "But I don't believe my Queen will keep her promise."

"And who do you think you are?" Captain Hook raised an eyebrow at him in contempt.

"The Prince," Riku said, coldly. "I've seen Queen Maleficent break many a trade agreement before."

Hook chuckled.

"You're just a boy who believes the lies Maleficent feeds you," Hook said. "You're no Prince. And she's no Queen."

"So why do you follow her?" Riku narrowed his eyes.

"She's no queen," Hook repeated. "Yet."

"And I bet she's promised you as her second in command?" Riku pressed. There was no reply, so he smirked and rested a head in his hand. "It won't happen."

"Because she's told a brat like you you'll make it?" Hook snapped.

Riku's smirk widened.

"Yes. And Jafar. And the Queen of Hearts," Riku said. "There can be only one," he pushed away from the railing. "Don't lose your head."

"Why are you telling me this?" Hook asked his retreating back.

"I don't want to see you black mailed," Riku said, only half turning. "Why don't you renegotiate terms with Maleficent?"

He heard Hook's boot step towards him.

"Boy, in this business whenever someone does something nice, it's because they want a favour in return," Hook said.

"Okay," Riku said. A plan was starting to knit together in his mind. "Give me a lift. When I ask for it."

Hook chuckled.

"You're trying to steal your Queen's boats?" he asked.

Riku shook his head.

"I just want a free ride. No blackmail," he said. "Just, you know, remember what happened with the Destine Isles last time. Wouldn't want your men to be collateral."

Hook was still glaring at him suspiciously, but Riku just gave a final shrug, and headed over to help the pirates with the cargo.

"Hold a moment!"

Maleficent was fuming.

"The stupid fool! Asking to renegotiate! As though-" Maleficent spat. "As though someone told him not to trust me."

"Don't be ridiculous," Riku said. "Who on earth would do that?"

Maleficent's eyes narrowed at him.

"Riku, who is to blame for destroying our country?" she asked.

"Destine Isles, your majesty," Riku said. If he wanted to protect Sora, he had to keep his head in the sand. "And the Prince."

She stared at him a moment longer, and Riku returned her gaze impassively. _For a couple of days, whilst he got Sora out , he would have to pretend nothing had changed._

 _Maybe in Destine Isles he would find his answers._

 _If he ever got that far._

"I noticed Jafar is still prowling around the castle," he said, conversationally.

"Jafar has been a useful advisor," Maleficent said. "He's a good tactician when it comes to war."

"And so are you, my queen," Riku said. "Why do we need _him_?"

"Are you jealous, Riku?" Maleficent asked.

Riku turned away. The landscape was turning back to beiges and greys.

Maleficent chuckled, and petted his hand as one would a dog.

"You don't need to worry, Riku," she said. Riku could hear how patronising her voice was now. "A wise leader knows when to except help. A wiser leader knows how to discard that help."

Riku made an effort to stop himself from smirking.

"This 'help' of yours told me he was going to stab you in the back," he said.

Maleficent's eyes flashed, and Riku continued.

"He asked me to join up with him. He said that together, if we both tackled you in the middle of the siege against Destine Isles, we could rule together." Riku said.

"And did you agree to this?" Maleficent asked. She tapped her cane, almost nonchalantly.

But the carriage stopped in the middle of the wastelands.

"Do you even need to ask?" Riku replied. The smile was still playing at his mouth. "I said that I'm only loyal to my queen. My," Riku paused, scared to test the word. "Mother."

Maleficent smiled slowly. A cat who's got the cream.

"Of course, Riku," she said. There was a distinct lack of passion in her voice that surprisingly stung Riku more than he cared to admit. The truth was starting to settle in. _She didn't care about him at all._

Maleficent leant forward, and patted his hand again.

"Thank you for informing me, Riku," Maleficent said. "Your efforts won't go unrewarded."

 _He was like a dog,_ Riku realised. _To be beaten and rewarded._

His throat felt tight, but he managed to nod and smile.

 _She had lied to him, about everything. But she had still raised him._

It still hurt Riku to turn his back on her.

The carriage continued moving.

Maleficent didn't notice Riku's silence. She was very much a 'talk to me if it's important' person.

Riku had liked that.

Now he wished she'd ask him what was wrong.

When they arrived back at the castle, the sun was beginning to set.

"Agree to Jafar's little plan," Maleficent told RIku as she climbed out of the carriage. "I want to know all of the details about this little plan of his."

Riku nodded.

 _Now he'd have to make up the details of a mutiny. What was he now? A triple agent._

 _Still, it was nothing he hadn't been prepared for. Nothing Maleficent hadn't taught him. She was the black widow spider, after all, and she had taught him how to spin a web._

 _Only for a couple of days…_

Riku realised that he was standing outside Sora's cell. His feet had carried him there from habit.

"I thought you weren't allowed to see the Prince," the imp guarding the door said, examining his claws.

"Maleficent wants to interrogate the prisoner," Riku found the lie rolling off of his tongue.

The imp squinted at him, but then shrugged and stood to one side.

Riku rolled his shoulders back, and entered the cell.

Sora looked up, and his usual sunny grin burst onto his face.

"Ri-"

"Shut up, come with me," Riku hissed, grabbing Sora's elbow.

"What's going on?" Sora asked. His voice was suddenly nervous.

Riku didn't reply. They passed the guard, and Riku kept his silence until they had reached his room.

"Get in," Riku said, pushing the door open.

He followed the Prince inside, and murmured a locking spell over the door. It probably wouldn't serve much use if Maleficent _really_ wanted to get in.

"Is this an upgrade?" Sora asked, looking around the room with interest.

"No," Riku said. He could cross the room in two strides; quick enough to nudge the mirror back under his pillow. "I - ah - panicked. You're being interrogated."

"I see," Sora grinned at him, and opened his arms. "Interrogate away."

"Ha, ha," Riku pulled a face, and sat on his bed.

Sora was still glancing around at his meagre possessions, an odd expression on his face that made Riku feel vaguely embarrassed.

"Where are we?" Sora asked.

"My - my room," Riku replied.

"But there are bars on your window!" Sora cried.

Riku felt his cheeks warm.

"That's just," he paused. He had never second-guessed it before. "It's a high tower."

"A tower," Sora echoed, then burst into another playful grin. "I guess that makes you Rapunzel instead of Sleeping Beauty."

"Don't _you_ live in a castle too?" Riku said.

"Well, yeah - but not in the _tower_ ," Sora said. "The towers are for criminals."

It suddenly felt much colder up here. He felt almost naked; letting the Prince know this much truth about him.

But it also made his chest feel light. Like it was full of helium.

"So, mr big, bag interrogator," Sora plopped down onto the bed next to him. "What would you like to know?"

"That key," Riku said. "What's it for?"

"The treasury," Sora said.

"You gave me the key to the treasury?!" Riku repeated, incredulously.

"Well it wasn't like you could use it," Sora said, with a shrug.

"What if I hadn't given it back?" Riku asked.

"I trusted you," Sora said. This time his smile was one of his softer ones. _How can one person have so many different smiles? How could they all feel like they were just meant for Riku?_

"You're insane," Riku muttered, turning away. His heart pounded in his chest.

"But you love me anyway," Sora said.

His lips pressed against Riku's cheek.

Riku leapt to his feet. But then found himself petrified. He couldn't even think.

"Sorry," Sora stood too. "I just thought - that - maybe you-"

"That I what?" Riku asked. His voice broke and he turned his back on the Prince.

"After last night, I thought you, you know, _liked_ me," Sora said.

Riku felt like laughing. He felt like crying.

He felt over the moon.

"I've - I barely know you," he said.

He felt Sora's hand on his back. He could feel every finger. It sent shivers through him.

"But you're going to help me," Sora said. Riku heard him take a breath. "And last night - when I asked you if you loved me - well, you didn't answer me."

"Neither did you," Riku said.

"i asked you first," Sora replied.

"I asked you second," Riku turned. And found Sora's hand on his chest, and Sora looking up to meet his eyes. The Prince's gaze flickered; reading his expression. He looked almost vulnerable and that made Riku's heart squirm again. He sighed. "I don't even know what love is."

Sora didn't answer. He just kept staring at Riku. The were close enough for Riku to see the shades of blue in Sora's eyes.

"Maleficent was just pretending all this time," he whispered. "How can I possibly know if I'm in love with you?"

"Because you're heart is pounding," Sora said. His fingers twitched. For a moment, he closed his eyes. Like the feeling of Riku's heart was music to his ears. "Because love - the kind that matters - is completely nonsensical."

"That kind of love is only for fairy tales," Riku said.

Sora smiled at him.

"Riku, you were raised by a witch, I thought you'd be less naive than that," Sora said. He'd somehow managed to capture the patronising tone Riku had adopted when they had first met, and it made Riku's stomach somersault.

" _You're_ the naive one," Riku replied. He placed his hands over Sora's waist. For a half second, he expected the Prince to pull away. To leave.

But Sora leant into his touch, and it made his throat feel like it was on fire. _Sora was here. Sora liked him._

"I'm really not," Sora said. He was leaning even closer. Riku felt his hips rise as he moved onto his tip-toes.

His lips met Riku's.

Riku found himself gasping, and Sora pressed him lips closer. His hands on Riku's cheeks, his mouth brushing against Riku's.

Riku wasn't sure what to do.

Sora pulled away, smiling almost teasingly.

"Have you never been kissed, Riku?" he asked. Whispered.

"There wasn't exactly a lot of contenders before," he replied. "Just a bunch of imps."

Sora chuckled, and wrapped an arm around Riku's neck. Pulling him down slightly to kiss him again.

It was nice. Good. The fire in Riku's chest spread up his throat and into his mouth. He liked the feeling of Sora's mouth. His touch.

He pulled Sora closer, finding the rhythm to move his mouth. Their noses bumped against each other's, taking in air every other second like it would be the last breath.

Sora fell into a sitting position on the bed, pulling Riku into an crouch with him.

"She gave me for my pains a world of sighs," Sora whispered. His breath was hot on Riku's face.

"What?" he asked.

"It's Othello," Sora said. "Then it's something something - "She wished she hadn't heard it, but she wished that heaven had made her such a man."

Riku frowned, trying to follow. It was like listening to another language.

"And then something and then, she loved me for the dangers I had passed and I loved her that she did pity them," Sora said. "I used to think that they were being idealistic."

"I don't follow you," Riku murmured. He kissed Sora again. He couldn't stop.

"I understand it now," Sora continued. He paused to kiss Riku. "I think I-"

There was a knock at the door, and Riku swore under his breath.

"Your highness," a silky voice said from behind the door. "I hope you haven't forgotten our lessons."

"Who's that?" Sora whispered. Riku pressed a hand against the Prince's mouth.

"Jafar," he said. "Stay here."

He crossed to the door, and opened it a crack. Enough to see the scarab beetle of Jafar's dark eye leering back at him.

"Of course not," he said. He was struggling to conjure up his usual cold tone. "I was just; I thought I might have a half hour to freshen up, after a day of travelling."

"Are you alright, Prince Riku?" Jafar was almost purring. "You look…flustered."

"Busy day. I'll be - ten minutes - I'll meet you there," Riku said, and shut the door again. He pressed a hand to his cheek. It felt warm.

Sora was still sat on his bed, staring at him.

He waited until Jafar's footsteps had disappeared. Then counted ten more seconds.

"You've got to go back," Riku said.

"I'll see you again, won't I?" Sora said, standing. "Tonight?"

" _God_ , fine, Juliet," Riku said, pulling open the door. "I'll go back tonight."

" _See_ , you _do_ know Shakespeare," Sora said. The teasing grin was back.

"Doesn't mean I understand it," Riku muttered, grabbing the Prince's elbow once more. "Look more shocked, dammit, you've just been interrogated by Maleficent, remember."

Sora struggled with the smirk on his face, but then widened his eyes and looked suitably scared. He even started shivering, which Riku rolled his eyes at.

Nonetheless, he felt reluctant to leave Sora when they reached his cell. He knew he was okay, really, but he felt a strange obligation to hug him.

He pushed the thought out of his mind. He pushed Sora out of his mind. Thinking of Sora made him feel warm. Happy. He couldn't be happy. He had to be ice.

Despite his efforts, his head still buzzed with the memories of their kisses when he opened the door to Jafar's study.

"How did your negotiations go today?" Jafar asked, without turning around.

"Great," Riku lied. He flicked a glass jar purely to knock it out of position. "Maleficent seemed to take a liking to Hook."

"He's an imbicile," Jafar spat. "Thinking he's a _gentleman._ "

Riku shrugged impassively. He had noticed the hint of fear in Jafar's eyes. Another contender.

And Jafar must have noticed his smirk, because he barked.

"Show me what I taught you."

Riku reached out to the shadows - to the darkness. It hesitated at first, then swarmed towards him.

He shrouded himself in it. A technique he had always known. Then he concentrated on doing what Jafar had showed him.

He moulded the shadows into a sword, the hilt guarding his hand like a gauntlet.

"As you can see, I'm all better now," Riku said.

Jafar nodded, raising an eyebrow.

"Good, because I need to call in my side of the bargain," Jafar said. "Thing's are beginning to progress too quickly."

Riku waited, watching Jafar. The sorcerer was about to pounce, and Riku had to be on guard.

"Put your skills to good use for me," Jafar continued. Then he dragged the next three words out.

"Kill Prince Sora."


	8. Chapter 8

**(a/n): I think it's been a while since I last updated? Probably too long...I wanted to wait until after I'd been away because I had this grand vision of writing all day everyday in my head. So when I finally opened up my laptop one evening, loaded up the document...I just...went blank. Now I'm thinking when I get home I'll write a ton because I'll be alone in my own room and all that.**  
 **Anyway - thank you all so much for sticking with me on this story - I hope to at least have a chapter amount up by the time I next update! CX**  
 **Hopefully see you all soon!**

Chapter Eight :

"No," Riku took a step back immediately. There was a sharp pain in his chest.

"Oh, but you agreed to, don't you remember?" Jafar said.

"I-" Riku gasped as a fresh wave of pain racked through his chest. "I won't kill him - he's - he's innocent."

"Oh, come now Riku, don't tell me you care for he boy?" Jafar asked. His voice seemed distant. Background noise under the ringing in Riku's ears. "Well, I guess even Maleficent can't raise a Prince of ice, hm?"

Riku gritted his teeth trying not to cry out against the pain. It felt like he was being stabbed.

"I won't do it!" he spat. He held onto the table as his vision blurred.

"But you promised, remember? Cross your heart and hope to die." Jafar's words swam in and out of focus.

 _So it wasn't a joke._

 _It wasn't something to scare him._

Riku's stomach dropped as he felt damp beneath his doublet. He pressed his hands through to his shirt and found blood on his fingertips. It seemed startingly bright.

"I'll give you until noon tomorrow. After that, I expect the Prince to be dead," Jafar said. "Do you think you can manage that - you're highness?"

Riku nodded. He was finding it hard to breathe.

But the pain receded quickly. As suddenly as it had started.

Riku blinked, his vision clearing.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Jafar said.

Riku nodded again, frowning as his mind tried to figure out what happened.

He was in the corridor again.

 _He had just agreed to kill the Prince._

 _And if he didn't._

 _He would die._

Riku retched.

He still felt dizzy as he made his way back to his room. He still felt sick at dinner. Jafar remarked "how pale he was."

Maleficent said she didn't "notice a difference."

"I'm fine," Riku said. His voice was faint.

She didn't care. No one cared about him.

 _Sora cared._

 _He would have to kill Sora._

"I wonder if I may have a word, Maleficent," Jafar said when the plates where cleaned away.

Maleficent waved a hand to Riku, but he was already standing.

 _He couldn't do it._

The cross on his chest stung.

 _He had promised to see Sora._

 _And he would see Sora._

His heart pounded. He knew he had to go, but it terrified him.

 _How would this night end?_

He made the shadows flung the guard outside Sora's cell through the window. It didn't make Riku feel better.

There was another pang in his chest as he unlocked the door.

"Eight days left," Sora said. "Please tell me you're coming to get me out-Riku, what's wrong?"

"You can tell?" Riku asked. He pressed himself against the door, running a hand through his hair. He found it hard to breathe. He wanted to laugh.

Sora nodded. His mouth moved, but Riku couldn't pick up the words. His blood roared in his ears.

He pulled the Prince close to him, burying his face in the mess of Sora's hair. Like a lifeline.

"Did the negotiations go wrong?" Sora asked, he pulled away to search Riku's face. "Did Maleficent hurt you?"

"No, no, she didn't hurt me," Riku said. He cupped Sora's face in his hands. He could barely feel it. He could barely feel anything.

"You look scared," Sora said.

"I'm - fine," Riku could hardly breathe.

His head jerked forward, almost of its own accord. He had to kiss the Prince. Just once more.

He felt the shadows in the cell draw to his hand. He ignored it. He wanted to focus on this - the feeling of Sora against him.

Sora's arm looped around his neck. He could feel the Prince smiling through the kiss. His chin bumped against Riku's.

The shadows elongated around his hand. Sharpening.

Sora's hand clutched Riku's shirt. His tongue slid between their mouths.

Riku raised the sword.

 _No!_

He cried out at the sudden spark of pain in his chest, pushing the Prince away from him and pressing himself against the door. He couldn't trust his own hand.

Sora stared at him. His wide eyes darted from Riku's face to the sword in his hand.

Riku clutched at the cut on his chest and stared back, breathing through gritted teeth.

"I'm - sorry," he gasped.

"You were going to...kill me...?" Sora asked. His chest heaved up and down.

"No-" Riku shook his head, then cried out at a fresh wave of pain. "Sora - I - I can't!"

Sora frowned. Then he stepped forward. Riku forced his hand to unclench, to push the shadows away from him.

Shakily, Sora unlaced Riku's doublet, and pulled the shirt down. He bit his lip as he took in the two cuts over Sora's heart.

"I had to..." Riku whispered. He coughed and tasted iron. "Or I'd..."

"Or you'd die," Sora whispered. His finger traced over the cross.

Riku nodded, feeling helpless.

Sora's face wavered in his vision.

He felt fingers on his mouth, wiping away blood.

"You called me Sora," Sora said. He took Riku's face in his hands. Steadying him. "You've never said my name before."

"First time for everything," Riku was panting.

"Riku, _you_ should live." Sora said.

Riku shook his head. There was a pain in his forehead.

He pressed his mouth against Sora's.

"You're the prince," Riku whispered. Trying to form the words. "You're my Prince. You have to go back."

"Not without you," Sora whispered.

Riku silenced him with a kiss.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you," Riku said. An idea had come to him. An idea that eased the pain in his chest slightly.

 _That was it. The loophole._

 _He had to do it._

 _He had to-_

He pulled Sora back to him, his fingers tangling in the Prince's hair. The air was cold in the cell, but Sora was warm. Sora's mouth was warm. There was a cold sweat on his skin.

Riku nudged Sora's chin up with his nose, both of their mouths were still open, gasping for each other. He bit the side of Sora's neck.

Sora gasped, his hands slipping from Riku's shirt to his chest. He looped his arm around Riku's neck, clutching at his silvery hair to pull him closer. He pressed his cheek onto the top of Riku's head. Riku could feel his breath, gasping, on his ear. Cooling the sweat on the back of his neck.

"You called me," Sora said. "You called me Prince."

Riku answered by peppering Sora's face with kisses. It was hard to stop.

"I don't want you to die," Sora whispered.

"I won't," Riku said. "Don't worry."

Sora buried his face into the crook of Riku's neck. His face was damp.

"Stay here," Sora said.

"I will," Riku leant his head against the door, and gently lowered them both to the floor.

Sora wrapped his arms around Riku's neck, and Riku held him close. He rubbed the Prince's back, and closed his eyes.

 _It was the only way._

 _It was the only way._

Riku had never realised how bright blood was.

It filled his vision. It was damp on his hands. On his clothes. On his face. Bright red. Almost glowing.

He thought he could taste it in the air.

He released the shadows.

His hands were shaking. His chest heaved.

The body slumped to the floor. Lifeless.

Dead.

Riku had done that.

 _He was a monster._

He turned; caught his reflection in a vial. There was blood smeared across his face. Staining his hair. With a finger, he pulled his shirt down. Enough to see the faded scars across his chest.

 _A monster._

He thought he could smell the blood.

 _Monster._

He retched.

Then turned away from Jafar's body.

Riku stumbled from the room.

The sun still hadn't risen.

Sora was still asleep when Riku returned to the cell. Like the first time they had met; he looked completely innocent.

Sora's eyes snapped open when Riku closed the door. He sat bolt upright, taking in the blood that drenched Riku.

The Prince's hand touched his own cheek. His own face. Then dropped to his side lifelessly.

"Whose…what did you…?" Sora's voice was faint. His eyes darted over Riku's face.

"I killed him," Riku said. His voice was hoarse. "I had to."

"Killed who?" Sora asked. He was still staring up at him. A rabbit staring at a wolf.

"Jafar," Riku said. "He's…dead."

Sora stared at him a moment more.

Then murmured a swear that Riku was surprised a Prince would even know.

"That's all…his blood?" Sora asked.

Riku let out a huge groan, and pressed his hands to his face.

"What have I done?" he asked. He swore. "I _killed_ him."

"You - you saved my life," Sora said. He scrambled to his feet. "You saved both of our lives."

"I'm a _monster_ ," Riku said. The blood on his hands was growing. It was spreading over him. He could feel it rising in his throat.

"No. No you're not," Sora said. Snapped.

He held Riku's face.

"You're not a monster." Sora said.

The blood was spreading over to Sora now. Covering his face.

 _Riku, what have you done?_

There was another loud groan. He barely registered that it came from him.

"Riku, listen to me," Sora said. "It was me. Or you. Or him. You had no choice."

"I agreed to his deal," Riku said. "I shouldn't have agreed. If I hadn't have agreed - I should have just -"

"What's done is done," Sora said. He pressed his forehead against Riku's. "You've done the past. That's done. But the future isn't. You decide where to go now."

Riku placed his hands over Sora's. Just to know that he was there. That he was real. That this was real.

 _This wasn't a nightmare._

"When did you get so wise?" he asked Sora.

Sora's expression darkened.

"I'll tell you some other time," Sora said. "Riku; you need to keep your head."

"He - he didn't even see it coming," Riku said. He was finding it hard to breathe. His lungs were filling up but nothing was _filling_ them. "He turned around to ask if I had killed you and I just - I ran the shadows straight through him. And again. And again. And again. Not because I liked it - I didn't like it - but I didn't _dislike_ it. It felt - mechanical. I couldn't stop. It was just - I just kept - and then his bird - his bird - that parrot - it squawked and I - I didn't mean to - it was so _easy_ and - _quick_."

"Riku, you saved us both," Sora said. "You did what you thought was the best course of action for your Prince."

"My prince?" Riku echoed. He struggled to connect the images. This was Sora. Just Sora. The boy he loved.

The boy he had killed for.

"Yes," Sora said. His eyes were blue. They were so blue. _Why hadn't I paid more attention to those eyes?_ "Now. What are you going to do?"

Riku blinked.

"You have to move on, now Riku," Sora said. He sounded almost scared. "You have to stop thinking about it. The more you think about it now the worse it will get later."

"How do you…" Riku's voice gave way.

"Just - trust me," Sora said. He pressed his forehead against Riku's once more. "You need to get your story straight."

"Sora, I can't," Riku sighed. He closed his eyes. Red.

He had never killed a human before. If Jafar even was human.

He had always known he would. One day. It was inevitable. It was what Maleficent had raised him to do. His purpose.

He hadn't expected it to be like _this._

Maleficent.

"I'll tell Maleficent it was me," Riku said. He forced a deep breath. "She already thinks he was going to betray her."

"Good," Sora said. "Okay. What then?"

"I don't - I'll be back. Tonight. Later than usual," Riku said. Maleficent would find out about the guard. About these visits. The longer he stayed here, the more risk he posed. "I'll get you out."

Sora didn't reply. He searched Riku's face as though he couldn't believe his ears.

"Thank you," Sora said. Breathed. Maybe Riku only thought he said it.

A moment passed. Riku wanted to kiss him. But he was becoming aware that he was sticky with blood. That he was dripping it onto the floor.

"Get cleaned up." Sora said.

And kissed Riku's cheek.

"You're late," Maleficent said.

Riku stood by his chair. It felt like his legs wouldn't bend.

"I was," Riku clenched his fists to stop his hands shaking. "Cleaning up."

"Jafar?" Maleficent asked.

Riku felt the air burst from his lungs. He couldn't even stammer a 'what'.

"The imps told me this morning," Maleficent said. She sipped her cold tea. "Was that you?"

"Yes," Riku said.

Maleficent's face burst into a smile, and she stood.

"Oh, _Riku_ ," she said, holding his face. Her hands were ice. _When did he notice that? Before or after Sora had done the same?_ "I'm so proud of you. Your first _kill_."

"He was - moving his plan along quicker than I had anticipated," Riku said.

"You did well," Maleficent said.

She pulled him close, and he stood awkwardly. She seemed to want to touch as little of him as possible.

"How did it feel?" she asked. Secretively. Furtively.

 _What was he supposed to say?_

"Indifferent," he decided.

Maleficent patted him on the back. Twice.

"Good," she purred.

Riku wasn't sure he wanted to be ice any more. He didn't want to be a cat.

He just wanted to be away from here.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

Riku waited at the end of the hallway until the changing of the guard.

The imp in front of Prince Sora's cell was waiting for a companion to swap with.

A companion that wouldn't come. Riku had seen to that.

He couldn't kill it. Not after - he just tied it up in a kitchen counter. It didn't matter if any of them blabbed now. He would be long gone by morning.

The imp was getting impatient.

Eventually, it stormed down the corridor, grumbling to itself.

That's when Riku snuck down the corridor and into the cell.

"Are you-"

He pressed a hand to Sora's mouth. Sora nodded as he understood.

Riku wrapped a cloak around the shorter boy, pulling the hood up for him.

He kissed Sora's forehead and whispered.

"Stay close."  
Sora did. His hands brushed against Riku's as they walked.

Riku would have found it endearing, even romantic, if it wasn't so distracting.

They moved through the servant's passageways. Down thin, musty staircases that hadn't been used since Riku was a child and liked to explore.

Riku had memorised the guard's pattens. When they appeared in a corridor, he would wait, drenching the two of them in the shadows. A count of ten. Darting like ghosts to the opposite corridor.

Down more passages. Eventually reaching ground level.

The counting. Sora's hand. It helped. It took his mind off of - all of that.

They paused at the door to the kitchen. There was the sound of clattering coming from inside.

Damn imps with their damn midnight snacks.

He pushed the door open, standing away from it.

The imp called out.

He masked the candlelight from the kitchen with the shadows.

The imp squeaked.

"That's not funny, Patrick," it grumbled.

Riku forced the shadows into a thin, spindly figure on the wall.

The imp's breathing grew laboured.

An alarm bell sounded.

The imp flew out of the room, his eyes frantic as he pulled on a helmet.

He flew straight past Sora and Riku.

Sora stared at Riku, who shrugged, and tugged the Prince into the kitchen.

There was an imp sized door to the castle grounds, and they both squeezed through it.

The night was cold. There were no stars; not even the moon was out.

Sora's fingers found Riku's.

Riku took a breath, then pushed into the darkness.

The alarm was for the Prince. He knew that.

A swarm of imps appeared suddenly in front of them.

"Prince Riku," one sneered. "You've recaptured the Prince. Take him back to his cell."

He closed the shadows over them in a dome. It was easy for him. To manipulate them like this.

It must have been the sheer terror flooding through him.

For a moment, he feared Sora would freeze up. That he would be horrified at what Riku could do.

But he charged forward.

Riku followed.

Their boots kicked up dust as they sprinted. Riku's eyes fixed on a huge barren tree. They were stationed every ten metres or so - ghosts from when the palace had life in and outside of had climbed it once and stared down at the wall of the courtyard.

He hadn't found the courage in him to jump.

Just make it to that tree. Just run to that tree.

It slowly ebbed bigger and bigger.

There were yells behind them. Riku blindly through up the shadows around them. It was hardly inconspicious.

Sora was starting to fall behind. After his imprisonment, he wasn't used to running for his life.

Had he ever been?

Riku grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

The tree got closer.

Riku dropped to one knee and helped spring Sora onto one of the branches before he began climbing himself.

The imps - a hoarde of them, were approaching like a tonardo. A blur of fangs and wings and red eyes.

Riku pulled the shadows towards him, prepping himself for a massacre of a fight.

If he could only buy Sora enough time to escape.

Riku took a breath.

And found his stomach somersaulting into his mouth. The wind suddenly pressed against his face and he was airborne.

He twisted as he flew, but only saw the tree that they had been climbing in it's usual place.

Except now he realised that the face-like lumps on the trees face were actually it's face.

 _The tree had thrown him!_

He hit the ground heavily a few moments later.

Thankfully, it was dusty, and the skid he made helped to soften the impact. His head rung like a bell and he blinked the pain away.

"You still with me?" he asked, turning to try to see Sora.

The Prince was a few feet away from him, sitting upright and looking dazed.

"I think so?" he said, clambering to shaky feet.

"We have to keep moving," Riku said, standing as well and starting forwards.

"We won't get far on foot, Riku," Sora said.

Riku turned to him. His mind could barely decipher the words. His heart was pounding too loudly for them to register.

"Right," he looked around, but everywhere looked more desecrate than usual.

But there were the stables. And just outside it, the horse and carriage he had ridden in the previous day.

He rushed towards them, his fingers fumbling to unlock the horse from the carriage. It reared as it was freed, and he could barely hold on to it.

Sora caught the horse's nose in his hands and gently blew on it's snout. It stopped bucking, though it breathed heavily. It's eyes darted nervously to Riku.

Sora followed it's gaze and stared at Riku. A look of comprehension came across his face.

Then he swung into the horses saddle.

"Get behind me," Sora said. "I'll ride her."

"I could-" Riku heard the screeching of the imps and swallowed his pride. He swung up behind the Prince. "I mean - I would have…"

"You can't ride," Sora said over his shoulder as he kicked the horse into motion. "That much is obvious from the way it behaves with you."

Riku frowned, and held onto Sora's waist. It was true. He had never sat astride a horse. The motion of it beneath him now felt strange.

"The books made it sound easy," he said, glancing behind them. It looked as thought bats were coming over the castle wall. If only. It was the imps - in pursuit.

Sora gave a dry laugh at that, and spurred the horse forward.

"Watch my back," Sora said. Then he turned slightly. "After all, you are my loyal guard, aren't you?"

And he winked.

Riku didn't breathe for a moment and almost slipped from the horse.

He held on tighter to Sora and muttered a response, checking behind them for the pursuing imps.

"It's a long way to the Destine Isles," Sora said. "I don't think this horse will be able to manage a hot pursuit all the way there."

"It won't have to," Riku said. He pointed to the east - to their right. The sky was starting to turn gold and rose. "The sun's coming up. They won't last in it."

"Will you?" Sora asked, turning again - just enough so that Riku could see the smile on his face.

"What's got you in such a joking mood?" he grumbled. He finally felt his hold on the shadows starting to ebb with the coming dawn. He kept a handful of it in a sweaty palm just in case.

"I'm free," Sora replied, with a breathless laugh. "We're free, Riku."

 _Was he? Free?_

 _Was this what freedom felt like?_

Because it was terrifying.

Something grabbed the back of Riku's cloak. He turned and blasted his darkness into an imp's face.

It flew away, screeching.

The other's were starting to slow. They were eyeing the sunrise and the Princes. To chase them was certain death.

To return was mostly certain death.

They quickly began to turn tail and head back to the castle.

"They're going," Riku said.

Sora nodded, and kicked the horse again.

"Have you got a plan?" he asked. "I hope you've got a plan, because I don't have a plan."

"I have…a boat…in Neverland," Riku said. "We can use that to get to the Destine Isles."

"Can you sail?" Sora asked.

"No," Riku admitted. "But it's a _boat._ "

"Well, as long as it's small I'll be able to do it," Sora said. There was a pound of hoofbeats, before he asked. "I suppose this is from another villain?"

"Captain Hook," Riku responded. "But he's a gentleman, really."

"He's an old codfish - that's what my cousin said." Sora said.

"Well he's the one helping you get home," Riku said, albeit lamely.

Sora looked up at the sky; the stars were just visible, and muttered "second star to the right", and adjusted their course.

More hoof beats.

"We should keep moving, yeah? To put as much ground between us and them?" Sora asked.

"I guess so?" Riku shrugged. "This is my first time breaking a prisoner out of a castle."

"This is my first time escaping from a castle," Sora said.

"You're sure we're going the right way?" Riku asked.

"Second star to the right, straight on till morning," Sora replied.

"But it is morning." Riku said.

Sora shrugged.

"Sorry, but what's _your_ plan on how to get there?" he asked. When there was no reply, he pressed. "And who's the _Prince_ here?"

"Don't go getting a bigger head than usual," Riku muttered.

Sora laughed, and they kept riding.

It seemed like forever before they found a small stream and Sora said that he had to "water the horse." The sun was high in the sky now, though its rays seemed to struggle to reach them.

They decided to pull the tarp from the horse's saddle over them to protect them from dust and the sun. They faced each other under it, their eyes still wild from the adventure.

"Thank you," Sora whispered. He kissed Riku with chapped lips.

Riku shrugged.

"I just - I had to get you out of there," he said.

"You risked everything for me," Sora said.

Riku shrugged again. _What more was there to say?_ He found Sora's hands under the cotton tarp, and pulled them to his mouth.

"Let's face it," he said, running his lips across Sora's knuckles , "I didn't have a whole lot before I met you."

And it was true.

Riku barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he imagined the imps finding them. Him trying to fight them off. Failing.

Watching as Sora cried out.

It didn't help that Sora's hair tickled Riku's face, and Sora insisted on pressing himself as close as he could to Riku.

The light was beginning to dwindle when Sora asked-

"Are you awake?"

"You couldn't sleep either?" Riku murmured.

Sora's hair moved. Riku guessed it was a shake of his head.

"Then we should get moving," Riku said.

Sora nuzzled into Riku's neck, wrapping his arms tighter around him.

"We've still got a long way to go," Riku said, his hands on Sora's wrists. Ready to entangle himself.

He didn't.

"Did you mean it?" Sora said. "Last night?"

Riku rubbed his thumbs on the back of Sora's hands.

"I think so," he said.

"Riku, you deserve so much more," Sora whispered. His eyes seemed to shine. "I'm going to give you so much more."

"Let's just get you back home first," Riku said. He thought about kissing the Prince. His head dipped forward.

But he couldn't quite make it.

He did, however, gather the strength to untangle himself from Sora.

"We don't want to lose our head start," Riku said.

He pulled the tarp back into itself, and pushed it into the saddlebags.

Sora sat up slowly, stretching, and looked around with a slightly awed expression.

"It feels weird…being outside," he said. His eyes were glassy.

"Are you…okay?" Riku asked.

"This is where you lived all this time?" he asked. His voice was still distant.

"This…is home," Riku said. "Or…it was…"

Sora was still staring, looking slightly horrified.

"We should get going," Riku said. His hand on the horse's bridle. It shuffled uncomfortably.

Sora nodded, and swung himself onto the horse. The movement was so graceful.

Sora held out a hand to Riku, his eyes glittering.

"Hop on then, Princess," he said with a crooked grin.

Riku felt his face warm, and frowned.

"I will take you straight back to Maleficent," he muttered.

Sora laughed, and started the horse off on a trot.

"I'm just - ecstatic," Sora said. "I can't wait to show you around!"

"Sora, there's going to be a war," Riku said, but the Prince didn't seem to hear him.

He sighed - nothing was going to get through to him when he was like this - then wrapped his arms around Sora and rested his head on the Prince's back.

"So…that thing with the shadows - and the…you can do that?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, Maleficent taught me," Riku said.

 _The shadow piercing Jafar. Blood._ The image was still bright in Riku's mind. He didn't have the strength to push it away, however much it horrified him.

Sora nodded.

"That…key," Riku said. "What does it unlock?"

"The treasury," Sora said.

"You gave me the key to the treasury?!" Riku pulled away from him, incredulous.

"Well, it's not like you could use it," Sora shrugged.

"You're…crazy," Riku said, with a breathless laugh.

"But you love me anyway," Sora said. He half turned and Riku could see him grinning.

Riku swallowed.

"Yeah," he whispered.

Sora titled his head back so that it rested against Riku's chest, smiling up at him.

 _He had killed for this boy. It would haunt him._

 _It was worth it. To see that smile._

They carried on riding. Riku watched the sky slowly fade from orange to blue. Pinpricks of stars came out. He tried to find constellations, but found it was a lot harder than books had made out.

"So, you know constellations?" he asked Sora.

"Hm? Oh no, but everyone knows its the second star to the left and straight on till morning to get to Neverland," Sora said. "Look."

Riku followed his finger to a particularly bright star.

And then he looked back. The way seemed clear, but the imps would be out by now and they would be seen for miles.

 _What would Maleficent be thinking now? Would she be plotting to kill him?_

 _Would she be the tiniest part upset?_

 _Why did he care?_

As the night wore on, trees began to appear, as they crossed from Maleficent's territory into Neverland.

By midnight, they were surrounded by a dense forest.

An owl hooted above them, and small creatures scurried to and fro in the under brush.

A more familiar screech came from their left, and the horse reared in terror as an imp flew from above them, it's claws outstretched as it dropped like a stone towards Sora.

Riku's stomach lurched.

The shadows threw the imp away.

He had barely blinked. Had acted on instinct.

Sora was busy trying to calm the horse. He looked up fearfully into the branches.

Riku pushed himself down from the horse.

"They'll be tracking the hoof prints - we should go on foot from here," he said.

"But-" Sora looked to the horse.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Maleficent could track its mind," Riku said.

Sora looked between the two once more, then sighed and slipped down from the saddle. Riku caught his waist and eased him to the floor.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Sora whispered.

Riku shrugged, and brushed the hair from Sora's face.

Sora sighed, then patted the horse's rear. It went crashing into the forest.

"We'll go this way," Sora said, linking his hand with Riku's and pulling him the opposite direction.

They pushed through the trees, squinting for any sign of the sea.

"Won't they follow our tracks?" Sora asked, holding a branch out of the way for Riku.

"Uh, maybe," Riku said. "I think we need to walk through a river. That will hide our footprints."

"Right," Sora murmured. "Do you - know where you're going?"

"Away from Maleficent?" Riku said.

They slipped past a particularly large tree. Sora turned to raise an eyebrow at Riku.

"So…we're lost in here?" Sora asked.

"Of course not," Riku said, pushing past the Prince. "We just need to keep walking. We'll find the ocean eventually, right?"

"I don't think that's how it works," Sora said. "What if we're walking in the complete wrong direction?"

They carried on through the trees. There seemed to be a small mud path that had been well-trodden to hide their prints. It was a small reassurance, however, and Riku was sure he kept seeing yellow eyes in the trees. Waiting.

He squeezed Sora's fingers, as increased their pace.

Until Sora stopped suddenly.

"What is it?" Riku snapped, already thinking of five different possibilities.

"Look," Sora said.

One of the eyes Riku had seen was floating by Sora.

He clenched his fist, ready to fight the imp off.

And then the eye flitted around Sora, and hovered in front of his face. Just one eye. An eye that had made a jingling noise as it had flown.

"It's a fairy, Riku," Sora said. The yellow light reflected in his eyes, and he was grinning.

The fairy made another jingling sound, and got close enough to Riku's face for him to see a tiny, furious girl.

Then the fairy whizzed around him, and buried itself in Sora's hair.

He giggled as it flew through the mess of hair. The fairy made Sora's face glow. Riku's heart pounded. _He loved him._

 _He was definitely doing the right thing._

"We're trying to find the sea," Sora said to the fairy. "Riku's going to take me home. He has a boat - but we need a little help finding it. Do you know where it is?"

The fairy flew back to Riku, and gave him a questioning glance. Riku blinked back at her.

"Please?" Sora pressed. He turned those huge eyes onto the fairy.

She glared at Riku for anther moment, before she flew a few feet away. The circle of light bobbed up and down.

"I think she wants us to follow her," Sora said, starting forward.

"You think?" Riku asked.

Sora missed the sarcasm as he clambered through the trees to follow the light.

Riku sighed, but followed the pair.

It wasn't like they had been doing very well on their own.

 _How could following a fairy make anything worse?_

 **(A/N) : Sorry about the seriousness in the last chapter - it's back to our regularly scheduled dorks being dorks in love. ^u^**  
 **Thank you so so much for all of your comments - it's so wonderful to see people /enjoying/ this and fangirling about it! \\(^0^)/ I can't even express- ^o^**  
 **Also, I'd like to shout out to Patrick the imp because I imagine all of the imps, when they're not running after Riku, as literally just being The Office and looking at memes.**  
 **I hoped you enjoyed the chapter and I hope to see you soon!**

 **(Please reblog on tumblr : post/163801837332/hearts-of-ice-and-fire-ch9 Many thanks!)**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten :

"You're not going to be all 'should we trust this guy' on me?" Sora asked Riku as they trekked through the woods of Neverland.

"Well, it's not like we were doing very well on our own, were we?" Riku asked.

Sora smirked, and took Riku's hand.

"I thought you were doing great," he said, smiling at Riku.

Riku snorted, and had to avert his eyes. The dark forest made Sora seem otherworldly. A mythical creature. _A mythical creature holding his hand!_

But with their hands linked, Riku felt strangely distant. It made the imps and Maleficent feel like they were worlds away. Like it was just Sora and Riku, following a fairy through the forest.

A child's game.

There was the sudden sound of a cannon.

The fairy darted behind Sora's head.

Sora turned wide eyes onto Riku.

"Hook?" he mouthed.

Riku nodded, and pressed through the trees.

A beach spread out before them. The huge pirate ship was moored close to it, the masts like sentries against the night sky.

Sora pressed himself against Riku, the fairy under his collar now. There was a commotion on the deck of the ship. A sound like drunken teens came down to them - a lot of arguing and singing mixed over each other.

But there was a small sail boat anchored to the ship.

"Wait here," Riku told Sora, and stepped out from the trees.

"That is the worst idea you've had all night," Sora said. "And you told me to 'keep walking until we reached the ocean.'"

The fairy made a jingling sound that Riku was sure was a laugh.

"If Hook sees you, he might not let me take the ship," Riku said.

Sora stared at him. His mouth was set in an almost pout. The fairy moved slightly; enough for it's light to catch in Sora's eyes.

Riku swore at himself. _He couldn't say no._

"Just - hide that thing," he muttered, then started across the beach.

There was a gangplank on the beach. Maybe to hoarde supplies, but it was their way up.

"Hook!" Riku yelled across the sea of drunk toddlers.

The Captain peered out of his cabin. A smirk appeared on his face, and Riku remembered to school his own expression.

Sora was holding onto his elbow, and hopefully making an effort to hide his face.

"If it isn't Maleficent's little Prince," Hook said. His smile dropped. "What do you want?"

"You promised me a free ride," Riku said. It was amazing how easily he slid back into his colder self. "I'm cashing it in."

The Captain laughed.

Then he paused, gestured to the crew, who chimed in with their own guffaws, and continued laughing.

"My dear boy, I made that deal to Maleficent's heir - not a confused - vigilante and the Prince of the Destine Isles." Hook said. He went so far as to wipe his eye with his hook mockingly.

"I told you to stay in the forest," Riku muttered to Sora, who gave him a sheepish smile.

The pirates started to draw out weapons.

"How much do you think Maleficent will pay for the both of them, Captiain?" one asked.

"I think the rewards will be … lucrative," Hook replied. A cat who's caught a pigeon.

"That's not fair!" Sora stepped out form behind Riku. "You made a deal - a promise-"

A new wave of laughter hit the crew. Riku stepped to Sora, ready to cover his mouth and make a hasty retreat.

"The boy should have known better than to make a deal with a pirate," Hook said. His hand was on his sword.

"Riku risked a lot to make that deal - as much as you'd be risking by giving us that boat," Sora continued. "He's risked everything. Don't you - don't you know how much it hurts to lose everything that you've ever known?!"

There were a few more chuckles - Riku grabbed Sora's wrist - but the laughter died at a look from the Captain.

Hook examined Sora for a long moment.

"I do know how that feels," the Captain said thoughtfully.

"Then please help," Sora said. "Don't do it for me - do it for Riku. He deserves this."

The Captain turned his attention to Riku, who just stared.

 _What was happening?_

"Okay," Hook said eventually. "I'll make a deal. You two get the boat; if you give me the little lady in your shirt."

The fairy heard, and whizzed around to hide in Sora's hair. Riku thought he heard a raspberry coming from it.

He opened his mouth to say 'fine, whatever', but Sora beat him to it.

"No deal," he said.

"Then no boat, boys," Hook said. He turned to leave.

The Pirates unsheathed their daggers, grinning to each other.

Riku had to do something.

"What about a gamble?" he called out.

The Captain stopped.

"We gamble everything - us, the fairy - against your sail boat," Riku said.

"And a sea chart." Sora added.

Riku nodded.

"And what would be the nature of this gamble?" Hook asked.

"What better game to gamble with than poker?" Riku asked, but he hadn't finished the sentence before the crew had started to call out "fight! Fight! Fight!"

Riku swore at himself again. Poker was good. He knew how to win with poker. He knew how to cheat.

"Neither of us are armed," Sora said, turning to Riku with worried eyes. Riku squeezed his hand - 'I'll think of something.'

"Well, I'm nothing if not a gentleman," Hook said. "Someone gave the lads a sword."

One was tossed onto the deck. They both stared at it.

"What are you waiting for?" Riku asked Sora. "Take it."

" _You're_ the Guard," Sora said, a smirk on his face.

"This is not the time," Riku said, feeling his face warm. _How did Sora reduce him to a blushing mess so easily?_ "You're better than me. You do it."

"It sounds to me like you're _scared,_ " Sora said.

Riku stared at him. _How could he make jokes at a time like this?_

"Do it," Sora repeated. He knelt and pressed the blade into Riku's hand. His lips brushed the shell of Riku's ear as he murmured. "You're the one with shadow powers."

Riku nodded and adjusted his grip on the sword.

Sora stood to one side, the fairy peering out from over his hair.

Hook stepped forward, his own rapier at the ready.

Riku took a deep breath.

 _He had to do this. He had to win._

 _Their lives were at stake._

Hook lunged. Riku darted to one side. Threw up his sword in a sloppy parry. Recovered at the next blow. Parry. Parry. Overhead.

Riku was losing his ground. Stepping backwards with each hit.

Had to do something.

He slipped his sword out of the deadlock, arcing his blade toward Hook. Gained room. Gained space.

Now it was Hook stepping back. Salvaging a defence against Riku's attacks.

Something hit his ankle.

Riku landed on the deck heavily. Saw a flash of Hook over him.

Rolled and stumbled to his feet. Deflected a lunge.

"That's not fair!" Sora's voice yelled from the sidelines.

 _So one of the pirates had tripped him._

Riku panted. He Deflected more blows. His hair was in his eyes. He tried to avoid the pirates.

 _There were no openings._

"No," he said, gathering the shadows of the boat towards him. _"This i_ sn't fair."

He threw the shadows outwards. In a burst.

Hook stumbled back. Riku plunged forward.

They were on equal terms now. Parrying each other's strokes. Neither one losing ground.

"What - do you - think you're - doing, boy?" Hook asked between parries.

"He - loves me," Riku said. He could barely think, let alone talk. "I - owe him - everything for - that."

Hook's sword slowed slightly.

Riku planted a foot forward - _the opening-_ but before he could take the stroke, a light flitted in between the pair.

The fairy flitted around Hook, pulling at his hair and clothes. Tugging him backwards.

It paused. So close to Riku's nose that he went cross eyed looking at it.

But the tiny girl was smiling.

And then she floated back to Hook. Darting out of his reach whenever he swiped at her.

"Catch her!" Hook cried. "Catch Tinkerbell!"

The pirates lolloped forward, and the deck became a mass of people bundling over eachother, all reaching out meaty fingers to catch the tiny light.

"I think they've forgotten about us," Sora said. "I'll get the map, you free the boat."

Riku nodded, still a little confused at everything - at himself most of all, and headed to where the boat was tied to the main ship.

Sora appeared moments later, a chart stuck into his belt, and Riku watched as the Prince shimmied down the rope.

He gave one last nod to the fairy - Tinkerbell - then slid down the rope, and cut them loose.

The boat bobbed in the water.

"Free that sail," Sora said. He was tying and untying knots, pulling on some of the ropes to get them to face the right way.

Riku nodded, and the white sail billowed out in the air like a ghost. Like a balloon.

They were flying away with a balloon.

The boat started to drift away from the Pirate ship. Cresting the waves with ease.

Riku held onto the tiny mast, watching their progress anxiously. _Everyone would be after them._

Sora kissed his cheek.

"I knew you could do it," he said, beaming up at Riku.

"You-" the sentence died in Riku's throat. He leant forward and kissed Sora instead.

"And now you're armed," Sora said, wrapping one arm around Riku's neck. "So you can really be my guard now."

The boat tilted dangerously, and Riku clung to the mast in order not to fall overboard.

Sora tugged at some of the ropes, and the boat righted itself.

"Then, as your guard, I think you should concentrate on sailing this thing."

Riku had been put in charge of the sea map, whilst Sora did the steering. He had found where they must have been - roughly, from the shape of the land - and they had made their way from there.

Sora struggled with the ropes, fighting against the waves. The little craft made Riku feel vulnerable. At the will of the elements. _And why should the elements save a murderer?_

"Back on the ship," Sora said. His eyes were on the horizon. "You listened to me."

"I guess I did," Riku said, still fighting the map against the wind.

"We - worked together," Sora said. He turned back and grinned at Riku. "That was-"

He trailed off, his eyes searching Riku's face.

Riku shrugged, and bit his lip. His heart was fluttering.

"Well, I-" he couldn't think of what to say.

They stared at each other. Their eyes examining the other's features.

The boat mounted another wave, spraying them both with sea foam.

"You should get some sleep," Sora said. "It'll be a long day tomorrow."

"What about you?" Riku asked.

"We need someone to help us stay on course," Sora said. He tugged some of the ropes again, and the hull of the small sail boat moved.

"Well, then I'll stay up with you," Riku said.

Sora smiled at him, then glanced at the map and out to the horizon. As though they would be any closer to the Destine Isles than a few moments ago.

"Did you know the other day was the first time I saw the sea?" Riku said.

"Seriously?" Sora turned to stare at him. A rope slipped through his hand, and he swore as he caught it. It had left an angry red mark across his palm.

"These war meetings - they've been the only times I've been allowed out of Maleficent's Castle," Riku shrugged. "How else would she maintain all her lies?"

They crested a wave.

"Is that why you were so upset about missing one?" Sora asked.

Riku nodded. He stared at the stars. _Had they always seemed that far away?_

"So? What did you think?" Sora said. He was watching Riku's face intently. "Of the sea?"

"It's…big," Riku said. "I knew waves were a thing, but - it's weird…I thought it would be more _blue._ "

Sora blinked at him.

"Neverland's seas are some of the bluest seas I've ever seen," he said.

 _Not as blue as those eyes._

He must have read Riku's expression, because then his face flushed, and he turned away. Back to the horizon.

"How are you doing? Being away and, well, leaving…" Sora said.

"I'm trying not to think about it," Riku said. "Honestly, I didn't think I'd live this long."

Sora glanced at him. He looked worried.

"Finding out I'd been lied to my whole life kind of sucked but…at least I'm not alone," Riku said. It didn't settle the nervous feeling in his stomach. "Maybe - when things cool down - I'll talk to someone."

"You can talk to me," Sora said. His eyes glittered.

"Thanks, Sora. You're-" Riku broke off. "Rock."

"I'm your rock?" Sora asked.

"No - rock!" Riku dived forward and pulled hard on one of the ropes.

They narrowly avoided a sharp rock. Like a shark's tooth.

Sora gave him a sheepish grin and a shrug.

"What was that you were saying about not surviving this long?" he asked.

Riku rolled his eyes, settling back against the bench.

He was tired, he realised. He couldn't remember the last time he had had an easy sleep. His legs ached from the horse ride and the trek.

 _He'd just close his eyes for a second._

But the rock of the boat was soothing. _Had he ever had a cradle?_

He was soon asleep.

Riku was furious.

"Why didn't you wake me up?!" he demanded.

Sora was pouting at him, tugging at the ropes again. It must have been around midday.

"It was…kind of nice to look out for you for a change," Sora said. "You looked…sweet. For someone who hated me a week ago."

It was Riku's turn to pout.

"How much further?" he asked.

Sora shrugged.

"It's hard to tell. If there's a strong wind - I'd hope that we're close," he said.

It was a hot day. Or maybe it was just a warm day. Most days at Maleficent's castle were cold and overcast.

The sun bore down on Riku, like a weight across his shoulders. He slipped off his large overcoat, but it provided little relief.

Sora tugged off his doublet and his shirt. He even started to sing as he sailed.

Riku's skin looked ghostly white compared to Sora's tanned skin, but now that Sora had gone topless, Riku realised how thin the Prince had gotten.

"Do you know any songs, Riku?" Sora asked. He was panting, and there was a sheen of sweat on his face.

Riku shook his head and turned away. His heart was pounding uncomfortably fast and his face felt like it was on fire. Not the usual warmth he got from spending time with Sora.

"They sing shanties all the time back home," Sora said. "Of course, it's usually the fishermen, and I'm always stuck in the castle studying. But they used to let me on their boats - and sometimes I sneak down to the docks to listen."

"Ah," Riku said, raising an eyebrow. "I see."

"See what?" Sora blinked at him. His chest was heaving.

"Are you going to start complaining about how restless you are and how you've always hungered for more in life than being a Prince?" Riku asked.

He was glad to see Sora's face flush.

"I - went through a _phase,_ " Sora said. Then he cleared his throat. "Really - I don't know. The responsibility and studying can be really tough but I'm grateful for it. I know - I'm really lucky. I wouldn't want to have been born a fisherman, if I'm honest. I'm - I can help people. Make a difference this way."

Riku's breath caught in his throat. Sora's face was practically glowing.

"Plus - the restless Princess never falls in love with the enemy, does she?" Sora asked.

Riku chuckled.

"Don't they always say beauty got Stokholm syndrome?" Riku muttered.

"Belle literally stormed out the castle. She was going to leave. She came back and stayed out of her own choice - to nurse Prince Adam back to health," Sora said. He leant his entire body back to swerve the boat. "She stayed because she was starting to fall in love with him."

"Let me guess, you know them?" Riku asked.

"They've come to the palace a few times," Sora said.

Riku rolled his eyes, and Sora laughed.

"I like this," he said. "Being between places. Just - _us,_ you know?"

"I _love_ this," Riku said. He stood and held on to a rope so that he could kiss Sora.

Sora was smiling too wide to kiss back. He pressed his temple against Riku's cheek, one hand on Riku's shoulder.

Riku dared to do the same. To touch Sora's bare shoulder. His bare back.

Sora's hips leant into his touch, he caught Riku's lips in his own.

He pulled away slowly. Kissed Riku once more, as though he couldn't bare to pull away, then murmured-

"Didn't you tell me to focus on steering this thing?"

"What if we just - floated?" Riku said. "And didn't face any of this mess?"

Sora smiled - his eyes sparkled in the sun - opened his mouth -

His stomach rumbled. Loudly. Like a whale.

Sora flashed one of his sheepish, crooked grins that made Riku feel like shattering stone.

"When was the last time we ate?" Sora asked.

Riku frowned. Now that he thought about it, his stomach ached for food too. With all of the running and not dying; he hadn't been considering eating.

"There's no desert islands around here," Sora said. "So I guess we'll have to go to the Destine Isles."

He looked beyond the mast - and gasped when he saw the shadow on the horizon. A cluttered, lumpy shadow had appeared whilst they had been talking.

Sora adjusted their course, and released the sail to full capacity.

The wind ushered them over the waves; closer and closer to the shadow.

"That's it," Sora whispered. "Destine Isles."

He turned to Riku. He was grinning from ear to ear, and his eyes were damp.

"Riku, we're home."


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N): I'm so sorry that this is so unbelievably late and shorter than usual. My laptop was broken for a whole week and then when I got it back I had lost all of my data - including two chapters that I had already written for this fic. I found it really hard to sit down and try to get it all back and got pretty discouraged. And then I moved out to university so I'm alone for the first time in a house full of ten people and I'm actually finding it really hard. I really miss my parents and I'm really making an effort to be sociable but I'm struggling to stay out and go out every night. n so I feel pretty lonely. I was meant to go to a pirates/princesses party tonight but I had one to go with and I didn't want to go into the town on my own in the dark so...I called my mum and cried a lot and watched The Lost Boys.**  
 **To be honest, I thought it would be a lot easier to make friends. I guess I had some pretty silly delusions about getting a relationship too...**  
 **Once again, I'm sorry it's so late but I hope you enjoyed this and hopefully I'll be able to update fairly quickly next time. Thanks xx**

* * *

Home turned out to be pastel coloured beach houses lining up in spirals to a fort at the top of the cliff. The 'castle', Riku assumed, was small, with a crimson roof and more ivy growing up it than there were rocks. It was mostly wooden docks swarming with people, like a beehive.

Sora sharply turned the boat into the harbour, nearly capsizing them in the process, and was hopping off of the boat before Riku could even regain his balance.

"This is it, Riku," Sora said, starting own the docks like one in a trance.

"It's – nice," Riku said. In truth – it was too loud. It was too bright. Everyone's eyes – staring in astonishment at Sora – bulged grotesquely in his peripheral vision. _Why were there so many people?_

 _Ordinary people. A noisy kingdom. The sun prickling the back of his neck._

"Yeah, hi, everyone – I'm back," Sora was grinning at everyone – his hand easily slipped into Riku's as they headed through the masses of people. "And I've got a friend with me."

Riku kept his head down. Counted how many planks he could pass with one step. His fingers twitched in Sora's. _How was this so easy for him?_

 _Then again, he had lived here all his life._

 _This would have been where Riku would have lived._

He glanced up. The docks they were on now were bursting with stalls selling trinkets. Windchimes and shells and furniture made from driftwood. Painted shells, starfish, normal fish served up on the side and ready to be eaten.

Sora was pulling him past the stalls eagerly, but his interest was piqued now. _Would he had grown up wearing shell necklaces and arguing about the crabs he'd caught like the children sat with their legs in the water?_

 _Why was that idea both appealing and repulsive?_

They reached the castle too quickly for Riku's liking. Suddenly they were stood in front of the doors – it wasn't guarded, of course, and Sora was _still_ talking.

"-I can't wait for you to meet Kairi – I'm sure you two will get on like a house on fire – and my parents-"

That's when Sora skidded to a halt, and turned to Riku with wide eyes.

"My parents," he breathed. "Should I introduce you as my boyfriend? Would that be okay?"

Riku's stomach performed an intricate acrobatic routine.

"Maybe you should…think about putting on a shirt first?" he said instead, holding the said article of clothing out to Sora – who just laughed and slipped it on.

He pushed the doors open so wide that they crashed into the walls and servants turned to stare.

"I'm back," Sora said simply.

The servants gave each other wide eyed looks for a moment, before they stumbled over each other as they said they would fetch the King and Queen. Sora asked them to prepare food and for them all to meet each other in the dining hall.

It was empty when they got there – but the room was warm. Sunlight cast perfect squares through the windows.

Sora squeezed Riku's hand.

"You're doing great," he told him.

"I – don't know what you're talking about," Riku stammered – with what little dignity he had left. _He had so much of it barely more than a week ago. But then Sora had happened. And all of that ice melted._

Sora laughed. That uncaring laugh he'd been playing non-stop since Riku had got him out of the castle. That laugh that reassured Riku every decision he had made was the right one.

A red-headed girl appeared in the doorway. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Sora.

Then she was sprinting across the room towards Sora, her arms opening –

As she swung her fist in a left hook.

Sora's head snapped around, but he was laughing and hugging the girl and she had tears in her eyes and she buried her face in his shoulder.

"You scared me half to death – you dozy, old-" the girl released a string of good-natured swear words that Sora grinned at.

"I missed you too Kairi," he said.

 _Kairi. The King's Ward,_ Riku realised.

She pulled away and glared at him suspiciously.

"Kairi, this is Riku – he helped me escape from Maleficent's castle," Sora said.

Kairi continued to glare impassively at Riku, who couldn't even muster an awkward 'hi.'

He was saved, perhaps luckily or unluckily, by the arrival of Sora's parents.

They both paused at the doors, staring at him as though they could not believe he was real.

He had the King's pale skin, but his mother's eyes. Dark blue eyes that filled with tears as she stared at him.

They rushed to him and asked desperate questions that Sora merely smiled at and raised his hands.

"I will explain everything after a nice, hot meal," he said.

Sora gave Riku much too much credit in his version of the story. He left out the part about Riku punching him. He left out any parts that would show Riku in a bad light – even though they both knew he deserved it.

Sora made him sound like a hero.

"Riku…" the king said softly once Sora had finished and had his mouth full of several potato-based dishes. "So that's what happened to you."

"Is it really that hard to guess?"

Riku hadn't meant to snap. Hadn't meant to sound rude. But suddenly he despised the man in front of him.

"You've only really got one enemy, right? Why is it such a surprise that _that_ was where I'd disappear to?"

"If I'm honest," the King said, slowly. "I thought you were dead."

"But it's so wonderful to hear that you're – alive – and –" the queen gave a little shrug of her shoulders. She was smiling.

Riku felt slightly guilty for a moment.

"And - my[Sophie Tu1] mother – my _real_ mother…is she…?" he trailed off, already guessing the information from the way the Queen's gaze swooped downwards and how the King's moth tightened into a thin line.

"I'm sorry, Riku," the King said.

Riku clenched his jaw. He didn't trust his mouth. He wanted the imps back. To hurt one. To hurt several.

 _Not that he was grieving – he never knew the woman._

 _But it just wasn't fair._

"Riku makes an interesting point," Sora finally said. "You knew where I was, right? You had to have…so why didn't you _try_ and come get me?"

"Sora, son, you know we don't have the resources to," the King said.

Sora stood. He clenched his fists on the table.

"I'm _sick_ of having no defence," he said. He hadn't raised his voice. Wasn't angry. But there was a quiet thunderstorm underneath his words. A danger that Riku had never heard from him before. " _This_ is why Maleficent is going to destroy us."

"Sora, wait," the queen stood too, but Sora was already storming from the room.

Riku took a last glance at his untouched food, then followed, fuming just as much.

"You didn't tell me," he said to Sora's retreating back. "You knew, didn't you? And you didn't tell me?"

Sora paused on the flight of stairs, he unclenched and turned to Riku.

"I didn't really have the opportunity," he said.

He wasn't meeting Riku's eyes. He had a point – but it wasn't shame that was gnawing at him.

"I'm sorry," Riku said. "About…them."

"Me too," Sora said. He was high enough on the stairs to press his forehead against Riku's. "I just feel like a trained dog, all the time – you know?"

"Yeah," Riku said. He wrapped his arms around Sora's waist, suddenly feeling very heavy.

It hit him all at once. The fatigue.

He could feel Sora's breath on his face. Sora's arms around his shoulders. Warmth. Warmth Riku felt he would never tire of.

"I didn't want this to be sad," Sora said. And swallowed heavily. "I wanted this to be happy – let's make this happy – I'll show you my room."

He laced a hand into Riku's and pulled him down the hallway. He was bobbing slightly. Making a deliberate effort to be happy. To make Riku happy.

To make this all work.

Sora's door had a plaque on it. Not that it needed it – with the carved, golden archways all around it. But there was a plaque, all the same – _Prince Sora, Red 4's Pilot._

 _What a nerd_ , Riku thought as his heart skipped a beat.

"You can stay in here tonight, if you want," Sora said. "I thought, you know…"

"Yeah," Riku said. "I'd like to stay – in here."

 _With you_. The words had been on the tip of his tongue. Because it felt like they had been travelling across the sea forever. He wasn't ready to think about Sora not being at his side

Because, truth be told, the room was –

Cluttered.

Sora had plasted paintings and pictures and tapestries over every inch of wall, let his clothes cover the floor and had so many knick-knacks they were piled on top of each other on every surface.

The bed was huge. A four poster.

Riku sat on it hesitantly – because there was even general junk on the sofas – and watched as Sora got the fireplace roaring to life.

A fireplace. When this place was already so warm.

A fireplace. That made Sora's eyes glisten as he headed back towards Riku. Basically sat on top of him.

"Do you like it?" Sora asked. With a slightly bemused smile. A teasing smile.

A smile that made Riku want to kiss him.

"It's very…you." Riku said.

Sora tilted forward. Riku stopped him from getting closer by putting a finger to his lips.

"Aren't you…still upset?" he asked.

Sora pouted up at him for a moment. Then pulled Riku's finger away.

"Kinda…but I don't want to think about that. I want to forget all about Maleficent and wars and…who knows when we'll be alone together next?"

He had another point –

Riku hadn't finished rationilising it before Sora's lips were on his own and he couldn't think clearly. He couldn't think at all. All he could think about was how Sora's mouth was moving against his own.

How Sora's hand was in his hair. Almost tugging it.

How Riku's hand seemed to fit perfectly around Sora's cheek. And Sora's cheek was soft. And warm.

Sora shuffled into Riku's lap. To get closer. Closer.

It was hot. The fireplace made it hot. Their bodies and their breath and the sheer force of the kisses made it hot. Sora was missing RIku's mouth – making his chin and cheeks damp.

Riku struggled with the laces on his doublet. Sora had it off in seconds.

Riku's fingers felt ice cold against Sora's bare waist. Bare back. The slight outline of his spine.

Sora helped free Riku from his shirt. Pressed against him with his complete body wait.

His fingers brushed against Riku's back. The scars.

Again.

Sora pulled away, frowning.

The air was cold on Riku's face. He paused, not registering what the problem was.

Sora crawled aound –

And gasped when he saw the lines and lines of scars.

"She…did this…?" Sora whispered.

"Not her – personally," Riku pushed a clump of silver hair out of his face. "It was the imps."

He heard Sora sniffing. Felt his forehead rest against his back. Wet eyelashes.

"She's a monster."

Sora's voice broke. Riku had never heard it break like that. Like it was all too much for him.

He turned and took Sora's wrists in his hands.

"Stop. Don't worry about it. It's in the past now," he said. _Because that was normal. It was normal then. And we wasn't about to make it a_ thing _now._ "I have you now."

Sora madde a small sobbing noise. And rested his head against Riku's collarbone.

Riku hugged Sora to his chest. Closed his eyes.

 _No one should care this much. Not about me. I'm not worth it._

"What happened to being happy?" Riku asked. Sora's hair was pricking him in the face.

Sora shook his head against Riku's arms.

"I can't," he said. "Not now."

"Okay," Riku said. He kissed the crown of Sora's head. "That's fine."

The fatigue was coming again.

 _When had Riku slept last?_

 _He would just rest his eyes…just for a few moments…a few more…_

Riku woke with a dead arm. Sora was still lying on top of it.

As if on cue, he rolled over-

And his elbow hit Riku in the face, making him cry out and scramble away from Sora.

Still half-asleep, Sora clung to Riku's midriff like a monkey.

"I'm home," Sora said.

"You're home," Riku confirmed. Not 'we' not 'I'. This was not his home.

 _Would it ever be?_

"How many days?" Sora murmured. His nose pressed against Riku's collarbone. "Till Maleficent comes."

Riku wasn't sure. He had lost count.

"Not enough," he replied. His fingers played with a tuft of hair at the nape of Sora's neck. A baby curl.

Sora sighed.

"I kind of understand why she'd target us," he said. "We're pretty low-hanging fruit, huh?"

"Honestly? I don't know how you're still a country," Riku said.

Sora chuckled.

"Because I'm an artful seducer," Sora murmured, reaching up to kiss the tip of Riku's nose.

He fel his face flame red and turned away as much as he could, muttering an unconvincing-

"Yeah, right."

Which only made Sora laugh more. There was a moment when Riku couldn't breathe – as Sora leant on his chest and clambered over him.

"Are you hungry? I'm hungry – I'm going to go get something to eat," Sora was still talking as he was heading out of the room –

Before Riku could stop him.

He was left alone. For the first time in what seemed like years.

He closed his eyes. Pressed a hand over his eyes.

Jafar's face flashed before his eyes. A dead face.

Blood. Everywhere. He felt sick all over again.

 _Something was wrong. He hadn't lied convincingly. They had gotten away too easily._

The door re-opened.

"Maleficent knows that I killed Jafar," he said.

"What?"

That wasn't Sora's voice. It was a girl's voice.

Riku sat up to find Kairi standing in the doorway, half-staring and half-glaring at him.

She turned full glare when she saw that he was half-naked.

"What are you doing in Sora's room?" she demanded. In the tone of a teacher trying to catch a student out.

"Uhhhh," Riku said, eloquently, pulling the covers up to his chest.

"Kairi," Sora stopped in the doorway, laden with a tray. "What are you doing in my room?"

Kairi just turned the questioning glare to Sora.

"You're unbelievable," she said. "The threat of impending war and you're messing around-" at this point she cracked a small smirk. "I would say good job, if I would have thought there would be any chance he's not using you."

And with that, she stormed out of the room.

Sora rolled his eyes, and placed the tray on the bed. It was full of orange fruit. Riku hadn't seen fruit that vibrant before.

"She doesn't know," Sora said, and frowned slightly. "You…you're not, right?"

Riku placed a hand over Sora's.

"I'm not using you," he said. And pressed his forehead against Sora's. "I don't know what Maleficent's planning but she'll want to kill me for this."

Sora gave him one last look, then closed his eyes and nodded. He whispered-

"it was true love's kiss," under his breath. As though that would reassure him.

Riku swallowed.

And ate breakfast.


End file.
